SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Bribery

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2004, Official Report, column 613W, on bribery, from which countries the request for mutual legal assistance to the Serious Fraud Office came where there was a suspicion of corruption offences involving a UK citizen or company.

Harriet Harman: The request for mutual legal assistance referred to in this question came from the USA.

Harassment

Bob Spink: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will issue guidance to the police and Crown Prosecution Service on the issuing of first stage warnings under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Harriet Harman: The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 has been in force since June 1997. Guidance regarding the scope of this Act has been issued to all the criminal justice agencies, including the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, by way of Home Office Circulars 34/1997 and 28/2001. In addition, further guidance on the Act is provided to Crown prosecutors via the CPS Legal Guidance which can be accessed electronically through the Crown Prosecution Service's website.
	The issue of warnings is a matter for the police rather than the Crown Prosecution Service. There is no obligation on the police to provide warnings before an arrest under this Act. However, guidance on the issuing of warnings in suitable cases was provided in the Home Office commissioned paper "Stalking and other forms of harassment—An investigators guide" published in 2001.

Iraq

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of whether prosecutions can be brought against those United Kingdom citizens whose names appear on the list of non-Iraqis who are alleged to have benefited from the United Nations oil for food programme for Iraq.

Harriet Harman: To date the Crown Prosecution Service has not received a file from the police nor been consulted regarding matters relating to recent allegations concerning the United Nations oil for food programme in Iraq.
	If a file or request for advice is received it will be considered against the relevant law and the tests set down in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Advisers/Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House how much his Office spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons was established in June 2003 and since then has spent £38,514.67 on external consultants and   advisers. This expenditure was required for the   development and hosting of the Office website (www.commonsleader.gov.uk).

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  how many (a) Ordinary Written and (b) Named Day Questions his office received in (i) the 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month;
	(2)  what proportion of (a) Ordinary Written Questions to his office were answered within five sitting days of tabling and (b) Questions for a Named Day   received a substantive answer on that day in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) the current parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month.

Peter Hain: Ministers have an obligation to parliament to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to endeavour to answer an ordinary written question within a working week of it being tabled.
	Ministers and their Departments should also make every effort to ensure that the live load of questions still awaiting a substantive reply should be kept to a minimum at all times.
	During the 2002–03 session my office received 91 Ordinary Written and 46 Named Day Questions, of which 88 per cent. and 96 per cent. respectively were answered within the above targets.
	So far this session my office has received 44 Ordinary Written and 19 Named Day Questions, of which 84 per cent. and 100 per cent. respectively were answered within the above targets.
	The breakdown per month and the proportion of Questions answered are shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 2002–03 Ordinary Written Percentage answered within five sitting days Named Day(1) Percentage answered on Named Day 
		
		
			 November 3 67 7 100 
			 December 5 80 2 100 
			 January 10 90 5 100 
			 February 8 75 5 60 
			 March 7 86 8 100 
			 April 23 96 10 100 
			 May 10 80 3 100 
			 June 5 60 2 — 
			 July 9 100 0 — 
			 August 0 — 0 100 
			 September 5 100 1 100 
			 October 1 100 3 100 
			 November 5 100 0 — 
		
	
	
		
			 2003–04 Ordinary Written Percentage answered within five sitting days Named Day(1) Percentage answered on Named Day 
		
		
			 November 5 80 0 — 
			 December 2 100 5 100 
			 January 2 100 3 100 
			 February 12 83 4 100 
			 March 19 42 3 100 
			 April 4 100 4 100 
		
	
	(1) Named Day figures include Questions not answered orally.

Productivity

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what his   policy is for (a) increasing the productivity and (b) cutting the costs of his Office.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the reply being given today by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.
	My Office does, however, constantly look to achieve efficiency savings.

CABINET OFFICE

Contingency Planning

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the formula used to calculate the civil defence grants include a weight towards coastal councils to mitigate for potential terrorist attack by sea.

Douglas Alexander: The formula used for the allocation of Civil Defence Grant starts with a flat-rate component that gives each of the 179 eligible local authorities £53,000. For shire counties carrying out emergency planning on behalf of their districts, an additional £12,000 per district is allocated. The remainder of the overall sum (approximately 35 per cent.) is distributed according to each authority's Bellwin threshold.
	The formula does not recognise particular risks as the Grant represents a contribution to local authority emergency planning, sufficient to provide a core service. The formula was introduced following the Civil Defence (Grant) Act 2002, and after negotiations with the Local Government Association on its detail.
	The Government separately commits substantial sums to counter terrorist activity by departments and front line responders such as the police.

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture.

Douglas Alexander: The information is not held centrally.
	The Cabinet Office bases all procurement decisions on value for money considerations and information on nationality of companies is recorded only for contracts subject to EU advertising procedures.

EU Directives

Alan Duncan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the EU directives since May 1997 which have been incorporated into UK law by Parliament; and which items of UK legislation so incorporating an EU directive have subsequently been (a) revised and (b) repealed.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Green Minister

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what work his Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in that capacity;
	(2)  what meetings his Department's Green Minister   has attended in the last 12 months in that capacity.

Douglas Alexander: Work has mainly focused on how the Cabinet Office is working towards taking a more strategic approach in embedding sustainable development into work disseminated to other Government Departments including our internal policies and operations. This work includes discussions with Ministerial colleagues and their officials.
	As regards discussions in Cabinet Committees it is established practice under Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose such information.

Recycled Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and   how much post-consumer waste this paper contained.

Douglas Alexander: Copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 was from 'sustainably managed' sources.
	Since May 2003 the majority of copying paper used by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum post consumer waste content of 100 per cent.

Recycled Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has already implemented in full the quick win target for copying paper. Performance is monitored for the purpose of   reporting progress in the annual Sustainable Development in Government report.

Recycled Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has already implemented in full the quick win target for paper for printed publications. Performance is monitored for the purpose of reporting progress in the annual Sustainable Development in Government report.

Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office's Sustainable Development Strategy is being reviewed in light of the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate" including looking at how best to consider the policy aspects in light of the principles of Sustainable development.
	Cabinet Office progress towards meeting the commitments in the Framework is detailed in the Sustainable Development in Government's 2nd Annual Report published in November 2003. Copies of which are available in the Library.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council Visits (West Bromwich)

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) board members and (b) head office based staff of the Arts Council for England have visited projects in West Bromwich East in each of the last five years.

Estelle Morris: Arts Council England do not hold records of visits by council members and national office staff to projects. In April 2004, five members of the Arts Council, including the chair, visited the site of pUBLIC in the centre of West Bromwich. National office based staff are in frequent contact with Sandwell Borough Council, Jubilee Arts and pUBLIC.

Digital Television

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of homes in each of the regions of the UK has switched to digital television in the last 12 months.

Estelle Morris: OFCOM estimated digital penetration by ITV region in mid-2003, as follows.
	
		
			 Region Percentage 
		
		
			 Wales 56 
			 Channel Islands 55 
			 South and South East 48 
			 London 47 
			 Central Scotland 47 
			 North West 47 
			 East 46 
			 Midlands 44 
			 North Scotland 44 
			 West 44 
			 North East 43 
			 Yorkshire 42 
			 Ulster 42 
			 Border 40 
			 South West 37

Libraries (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent on the digitisation of content in libraries in Stockton South since 1997.

Estelle Morris: This information is not held centrally.
	The New Opportunities Fund £50 million Digitisation of Learning Materials Programme has delivered 150 projects across the UK to enable resources which support learning of all kinds held in libraries as well as museums, archives and other public-sector institutions, to be made available online through the People's Network and the National Grid for Learning. This initiative has created a body of material containing over two million images, tens of thousands of sound and video clips and documents and over 1,000 learning packages. All projects can be accessed via the EnrichUK portal at http://www.enrichuk.net.
	Information on grants awarded to individual local authorities and their expenditure can be obtained from the relevant authority.

Licensing Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the date for the first appointed day, as specified in the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The timetable for the first appointed day, when licensing authorities will be able to accept applications for the conversion of existing licences and club registration certificates, will be dependent on the date when, or if, Parliament approves the draft Guidance made under section 182 of the Act which has been laid before it.
	Parliament will not be able to consider the draft Guidance until the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments have completed their scrutiny of it and reported to the Houses. We expect the first appointed day to be six months later than the date of Parliamentary approval. The timetable we hope for would see approval by Parliament at the end of this month which would therefore lead to a first appointed day in November.

National Lottery (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money from the New Opportunities Fund was allocated to Stockton, South in each year since 1997.

Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund began making grants in 1999. The awards to Stockton, South are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Financial year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 267,764 
			 2000–01 140,100 
			 2001–02 461,842 
			 2002–03 1,706,395 
			 2003–04 1,185,453 
		
	
	The information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

New Opportunities Fund

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money from the New Opportunities Fund was allocated to Oldham West and Royton in each year since 1997.

Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund began making grants in 1999. The awards to Oldham West and Royton are shown in the table, from the latest figures available.
	
		
			 Financial Year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 8,834 
			 2000–01 205,919 
			 2001–02 993,803 
			 2002–03 798,785 
			 2003–04 1,200,336 
			 2004–05 525 
		
	
	The information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

Tourism (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the work of regional development agencies in developing tourism in Stockton, South.

Richard Caborn: One North East (ONE) has secured the   work programme of the former Northumberland Tourist Board through funding of £2.3 million and has committed an additional £1 million for tourism in line with its Corporate Plan. The development of the Tees corridor has been identified as a key priority for ONE's resources and this will have significant benefits for Stockton, South. Tourism development will also benefit from the Regional Image Strategy and Marketing budgets. ONE is also supporting the sub-regions indeveloping their own destination management organisations.

TRANSPORT

A13

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investigations he has (a) conducted and (b) planned into solutions to the congestion problem on the A13 in Hadleigh.

David Jamieson: The A13 east of Tilbury is not a trunk road and so is the responsibility of Essex County Council as local highway authority. I understand that Essex CC has recently carried out work in High Street, Hadleigh (the A13) to update an earlier environmental scheme and that some carriageway widening works and the provision of a new pedestrian crossing have been undertaken in conjunction with a new superstore. The carriageway will be resurfaced later this year.
	The council also plans to undertake a route management strategy for the A13/A127 which will address the problem of congestion amongst other issues.

Accountancy Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) nature and (b) value was of all contracts, consultancies or other services placed with the accountancy firms (i) Deloitte & Touche, (ii) Ernst & Young, (iii) KPMG and (iv) PricewaterhouseCoopers since 2000–01 by the Department and its agencies.

Tony McNulty: The Department was formed in May 2002. The information for the central Department for financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04, and the agencies for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 is set out in the following tables.
	
		Contracts, consultancies and other services placed by DFT(C) during 2002–03
		
			  Date Net value Description 
		
		
			 Ernst & Young 21 August 2002 400 Consultancy service; Project management 
			 Total  400  
			 
			 Cap Gemini Ernst & Young 28 June 2002 14,747.53 Consultancy: Transport Direct Programme 
			  26 September 2002 6,120.00 Consultancy: Transport Direct Programme 
			 Total  20,867.53  
			 
			 KPMG 16 April 2002 193,756.50 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  1 May 2002 651.1 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  10 May 2002 37,542.00 Consultancy service; Computer strategy 
			  14 May 2002 181,228.90 DVO Strategy blueprint 
			  30 May 2002 2,563.40 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  3 July 2002 1,177.00 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  4 July 2002 407,807.00 DVO Strategy blueprint 
			  9 July 2002 1,312.40 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  21 August 2002 112,533.10 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  9 September 2002 1,733.20 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  6 November 2002 1,297.10 BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  19 November 2002 7,729.00 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  7 January 2003 3,847.00 BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  10 February 2003 4,071.20 BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  17 February 2003 3,842.60 BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  11 March 2003 4,037.70 BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			 Total  965,129.20  
			 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 14 January 2003 5,000.00 Consultancy service; Finance and Accountancy 
			 Total  5,000.00  
		
	
	
		Contracts, consultancies and other services placed by DFT(C) during 2003–04
		
			  Date Net value Description 
		
		
			 Cap Gemini Ernst & Young 18 June 2003 55,302.00 Review of ICT services 
			  23 June 2003 303,161.15 Consultant service; Web services 
			  21 October 2003 32,205.00 Consultancy service: TransXchange review project 
			 Total  390,668.15  
			 
			 Deloitte & Touche 23 May 2003 7,864.00 Computer consultancy service 
			  17 July 2003 4,704.00 Training course 
			  14 April 2003 6,427.00 Computer consultancy service 
			  23 May 2003 216,683.00 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  17 August 2003 36,286.00 Computer consultancy service 
			  14 August 2003 2,641.00 Professional services 
			  27 October 2003 840 Consultancy service; Project management 
			  7 November 2003 417,286.00 Support for Programme and Project Management Centre of Excellence 
			  7 January 2004 156,753.00 Consultancy service; Project management 
			 Total  849,484.00  
			 
			 KPMG 11 April 2003 2,826.70 BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  21 May 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  12 June 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  2 September 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  2 September 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  12 September 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  14 October 2003  Consultancy service; Project management 
			  12 November 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  17 December 2003  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  19 January 2004  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  11 February 2004  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  5 March 2004  Consultancy advice in connection with Rail Review 
			  9 March 2004  Accounting advice—CROSSRAIL 
			  9 March 2004  Accounting advice—CROSSRAIL 
			  10 March 2004  BR privatisation (successor companies) Advice/negotiation on tax benefits 
			  16 March 2004  Consultancy advice in connection with Rail Review 
			  18 March 2004  Consultancy advice in connection with Rail Review 
			 Total  1,155,766.88  
			 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 18 November 2003 425 Courses and Seminars 
			  5 March 2004 595 Training course 
			  23 March 2004 80,000.00 Identification and assessment of local authority expenditure 
			 Total  81,020.00  
		
	
	
		Contracts, consultancies or other services placed by DFT's agencies since 2000–01
		
			 Company Nature Value Agency 
		
		
			 Ernst & Young General Consultancy Support under the S-Cat framework agreement between October 2000 and March 200 1 189,938 DVLA 
			  Advice on pay comparability 2001 80,310.88 MCA 
			 Cap Gemini Ernst & Young IT consultancy 11,907,982 Highways Agency 
			 KPMG Appointment of Financial Consultants under the S-Cat framework agreement between July 2000 and October 2002 227,000 DVLA 
			  Change Consultancy under the S-Cat framework agreement between June 2001 and June 2002 300,000 DVLA 
			  Review of Secure Document Handling under the S-Cat framework agreement between October 2002 and October 2003 85,000 DVLA 
			  MOT Project Consultancy 115,232.84 VOSA 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Feasibility Study for EOS Project under a former DETR framework contract between July 2001 and August 2001 16,000 DVLA 
			  General Management Consultancy 940,000 Highways Agency 
			  Training Services 980,000 (to date) DSA 
			  Preparation and Support and Consultancy Highways 288,000  
			 Deloitte & Touche IT consultancy 2,587,350 Highways Agency 
			  Consultancy on non pay benefits (2004) 15,166.90 MCA 
			  Consultancy on joint helicopter harmonisation project with MOD—covering advice on business case, investment analysis, project management, pre PFI advice and consultation with industry. Contract let by MOD 2002–03 326,244.63  
			  Auditing company accounts Ad-hoc low value orders, below £15K Highways Agency

Air Safety

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of rocket-assisted parachutes in improving aircraft safety.

Tony McNulty: Since September 2003, responsibility for the safety regulation of most aircraft and aircraft products lies with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) except for various smaller or specialist aircraft such as microlights which remain the responsibility of national aviation authorities.
	The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recognises the potential safety benefits of ballistic parachutes in otherwise potentially catastrophic accident situations. The authority introduced an amendment to the UK Design Requirements for Microlights in 1999 allowing for the installation of ballistic parachutes in such aeroplanes. Approval was on the basis that this did not introduce any additional hazard during normal conditions of flight.
	EASA will include an assessment of an installed ballistic parachute system when investigating aircraft for the issue of a type Certificate. We understand that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the installation and use of a ballistic parachute in the Cirus SR20 light aeroplane and that this aircraft is now the subject of an application for approval in Europe.

Coastguard Station, Tynemouth

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the former coastguard station at Tynemouth.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	As part of a general audit of its property portfolio, English Heritage has been reviewing the operation of Tynemouth Priory. They will shortly be carrying out an options appraisal on the future use of the former coastguard station within the Priory grounds. The views of the local community will be taken into account in this appraisal.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05.

Tony McNulty: The costs of entertainment incurred were:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1996–97 (2)31 
			 2002–03 (2)24 
			 2003–04 (2)16 
		
	
	(2) Department for Transport
	For the current-financial year (2004–05) it is forecast that the Department for Transport's costs will be approximately £15,000.
	From 1997–98 to 2001–02 transport formed part of the DETR and DTLR. Transport specific information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for   Transport what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport was formed 29 May 2002 since when all DfT procured crockery is manufactured in the UK, all cutlery is manufactured abroad in various countries, and all glassware is manufactured in France.

Departmental Procurement

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to source all sea bass used in catering outlets for which his Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers.

Tony McNulty: Defra supports the sourcing of sea bass from sustainable fisheries and handlining, as a relatively low impact method of fishing, can play a part in ensuring fisheries remain sustainable. However, the last report in 2003 by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas on sea bass advised that the level of exploitation of the stock at that time was sustainable and did not recommend closure of the offshore pair trawl fishery. There are currently no restrictions at a UK or Community level on the method of fishing that can be used to target bass. In addition, to address the dolphin bycatch problem associated with the pair trawl fishery, Defra-funded trials of a separate grid device to reduce dolphin bycatch are currently taking place, with the co-operation of the fishing industry.
	In these circumstances, I do not believe that recommending a specific source of supply for bass could be justified at this stage.

Green Transport Schemes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the research evidence produced by studies made by the Department on the potential land value benefits of development within easy access of a railway station.

Tony McNulty: The Department contributed to the Jubilee Line Extension Impact S Study carried out for TfL by the University of Westminster. As part of that study the views of local agents on the impact of the JLE on the property market were sought and a general review of the commercial and residential market along the line was performed. The property report and the overall summary report for the JLE Impact Study will be released in May 2004.
	The Department also contributed to a research project by ODPM and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on "Property Values and Public Transport Investment". The main objective of the study was the development of a suitable methodology for the estimation of the impact of public transport investment on property values. RICS published the report on Stage I, which was a literature review, as 'Land Value and Public Transport: Stage 1—Summary of findings' in October 2002 and plan to publish the Stage 2 report 'Land value and public transport: Stage two—Summary of findings' on 25 May.

Omega Site (Warrington)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had on providing public transport links to the Omega site in Warrington as it is developed.

Tony McNulty: The Highways Agency, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, has been in discussions regarding the transport implications of the Omega site on the strategic highways network. The applicants and the borough council will be considering the public transport implications as part of the planning process.

Railways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ask Network Rail to launch an urgent inquiry into track quality between Swindon and Paddington.

Tony McNulty: This is an operational matter for Network Rail. However, Network Rail advises me that it is already undertaking a comprehensive programme to manage and monitor the track quality in this area and, at the same time, is investing to upgrade the track.
	Network Rail has liaised closely with the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate over those sections of poorer quality track, which are being monitored though an enhanced regime of inspections. It is investing in maintenance of the track, and switches and crossings (S&C) sites have been receiving additional attention from heavy maintenance gangs. There is also an on-going extensive programme of track and S&C renewals.

Railways

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with which stakeholders he has held direct discussions in connection with his review of the structure and organisation of the railways.

Tony McNulty: Ministers and officials in the Department of Transport have had discussions with a wide range of people and organisations in the course the current review of the structure and organisation of the rail industry.

Railways

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the decision of Network Rail to postpone the installation of a radio system for drivers until 2015.

Tony McNulty: Network Rail advise me that they are currently implementing a new system for drivers known as the Global System for Mobile Communications for Railways (GSM-R). Its phased introduction is due for completion in 2013.
	The installation work has already commenced in Strathclyde. GSM-R will be implemented on all high-speed lines by 2006 and the majority of the GSM-R upgrade will be completed by 2008–09.
	The original timetable envisaged completion by 2008. The new time scales and expenditure profile reflect the outcome of the Rail Regulator's Interim Review and are believed to be realistic and deliverable.

Railways

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the reports on the Central Railway project prepared for him by the Strategic Rail Authority.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 6 May 2004
	The Strategic Rail Authority's report took the form of a letter to Ministers from the SRA Chairman. The letter constitutes advice to Ministers. It is not the practice to make available such advice.

Railways

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often he meets officials of the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss improvements to the national rail network.

Tony McNulty: Ministerial colleagues and I have very frequent meetings with the Strategic Rail Authority.

Railways

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the Department's role was in the formulation of the Route Utilisation Strategy (Part One) for the East Midlands published in March by the Strategic Rail Authority;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the Strategic Rail Authority's Route Utilisation Strategy (Part One) for the East Midlands.

Tony McNulty: The role of the Department in formulating the Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) Route Utilisation Strategies is to ensure that the SRA's approach is consistent with broader Government policy, is in the best interests of the taxpayer and is in accordance with expected resources. The framework informing and underpinning all Route Utilisation Strategies was set out in the SRA's Network Utilisation Strategy, published in June 2003. The detail of individual Route Utilisation Strategies is a matter for the SRA.

Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the profit levels of train leasing companies.

Tony McNulty: The profits earned by the rolling stock leasing companies (ROSCOs) are set out in their filed accounts. Their operations are subject to the scrutiny of the competition authorities in the usual way.

Road Works

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average duration of works carried out by highway authorities necessitating occupation of (a) Highways Agency roads and (b) local authority roads was in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2002 and (iv) 2003.

David Jamieson: holding answer 4 May 2004
	This information is not held centrally.

Rural Bus Services (Cambridgeshire)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rural bus services in (a) the Huntingdon constituency and (b) Cambridgeshire are supported by rural bus grants.

Tony McNulty: Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) is paid to local transport authorities, in the case of Huntingdon this is Cambridgeshire County Council. It is for the authority to decide which services should be supported with the grant. We understand from the county council that there are 25 rural bus services operating in Cambridgeshire that are currently supported by RBSG, of these 13 services operate in Huntingdon.

Transec

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for   Transport 
	(1)  what Transec's chain of command is;   and how Transec's staff are (a) recruited and (b) vetted;
	(2)  if he will make a statement explaining the central command structure of Transec.

Tony McNulty: The Department's Transport Security Directorate (Transec) is headed by a director supported by two divisional managers. The director reports direct to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on security matters, and to the Department's Director General for Railways, Aviation, Logistics, Maritime and Security on management issues. The director and her staff play a full and active role as part of the Whitehall counter-terrorist community working closely with colleagues in the police and other Government Departments.
	Transec's staff is recruited in a variety of ways, depending on the job and the knowledge and skills needed to do it. Transec's staff includes career civil servants from the Department for Transport and other departments; people recruited through open competition who have relevant experience from industry and/or the security sector; and staff on secondment.
	Members of staff are subject to security vetting according to the nature of their work and the access they require to classified assets. The vetting is carried out in accordance with the rules set out in the Government's Manual of Protective Security.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abattoirs

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total   cost to the Department in the financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 was of charges brought successfully against abattoirs for breaches of meat hygiene and animal welfare regulations.

Ben Bradshaw: The total legal costs incurred by both this Department and the Food Standards Agency (which is responsible for meat hygiene prosecutions, as well as being involved with animal welfare cases) in   pursuit of charges that were successfully brought against abattoirs for breaches of meat hygiene and animal welfare regulations were:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 44,031.61 
			 2003–04 90,748.11

Abattoirs

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was to the Department in the financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 of all charges brought against abattoirs for breaches of meat hygiene and animal welfare regulations, including those which were successfully prosecuted and those which were dropped before they came to court.

Ben Bradshaw: The total legal cost incurred by both this Department and the Food Standards Agency (which is responsible for meat hygiene prosecutions, as well as being involved with animal welfare cases) in pursuit of all charges brought against abattoirs for   breaches of meat hygiene and animal welfare regulations was:
	2002–03—£48,311.26
	2003–04—£123,050.62

British Wildlife

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the introduction of genetically modified crops on wildlife; and what studies the Government commissioned on the subject.

Elliot Morley: The effects on wildlife from the cultivation of each particular GM crop is assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the criteria in European Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms.
	In the case of GM herbicide tolerant oilseed rape, beet and maize the effects of the management of these crops on wildlife was studied in the GM crop farm scale evaluations. The results of these evaluations for spring sown oilseed rape, beet and maize were published in October last year. Results for winter sown oilseed rape will be published later this year.

BSE

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) total and (b) average monthly cost of the Over-30-Month scheme has been since its inception.

Alun Michael: The total and average monthly cost of the Over-30-Month scheme are shown in the table.
	
		£ million
		
			  Total cost of the scheme including compensation Average cost per month 
		
		
			 1996–97 858 78 
			 1997–98 432 36 
			 1998–99 380 32 
			 1999–2000 394 33 
			 2000–01 401 33 
			 2001–02 301 25 
			 2002–03 367 31 
			 2003–04 (3)321 (3)27 
			 Total 3,454 36 
		
	
	(3) Forecast.
	The average monthly costs have decreased over the years reflecting lower compensation rates and disposal costs and fewer animals entering the scheme.
	The 1996–97 figure reflects the high compensation rate in the first year. The low 2001–02 figure reflects the reduced numbers entering the scheme as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak.

BSE

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost of maintaining the Over-30-Month scheme for cattle born after August 1996 until January 2005.

Alun Michael: The estimated direct cost (compensation and disposal) of maintaining the Over-30-Month scheme for cattle born after August 1996 from April 2004 until January 2005 is £120 million.

BSE

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost of maintaining the Over-30-Month scheme for cattle born before August 1996.

Alun Michael: The cost of maintaining the Over-30-Month scheme after April 2004 for cattle born before August 1996 will be spread over several years. The aggregate cost is estimated at £400 million. However, the annual cost will depend on how quickly the cattle are disposed of.

Conferences/Seminars

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans were made by her Department for (a) conferences and (b) seminars in conjunction with its consultations on (i) the sustainable management of wild deer in England, (ii) hazardous chemicals and (iii) dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in the UK environment; what the total cost of organising each of those events was; and how many people attended in each case.

Alun Michael: The public consultation exercise on the sustainable management of wild deer in England ended recently on 16 April. The consideration of written responses began on 27 April and it is too early to make decisions on how to present the outcome of this exercise. However, when the appropriate stage is reached consideration will be given to the use of conferences and/or seminars.
	The Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances has held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the consultation on the UK chemicals strategy and the review of the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum. The Government invited companies in, and organisations representing, the small and medium-size business sector to a seminar on the consultation on 15 April but there was insufficient interest expressed to run this. The approximate cost of these events was £3,100. The consultation on the UK Strategy ends on 4 May.
	The Government consultation on the new EU chemicals strategy (REACH) was launched on 30 March 2004. The deadline for comment is 25 June. As part of the consultation process, I chaired a stakeholder conference on 27 April in Birmingham. Approximately 150 delegates were expected to attend representing our main stakeholder groups: industry, environmental, trade unions, and animal welfare and consumer organisations. The cost of organising the conference is estimated at approximately £25,000.
	The consultation on dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in the UK environment was the first step in the development of a UK action plan on dioxins and related compounds which is a requirement of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Work is still under way and the Government are seeking further views in a second round of consultation which will feed directly into the finalisation of the action plan. To date no conferences or seminars have been held in conjunction with this consultation, but we will consider the need for such events when we are closer to completion.

Conferences/Seminars

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans were made by her Department for (a) conferences and (b) seminars in conjunction with its consultations on (i) a strategy for fly-tipping, (ii) the definition of wild birds and (iii) a new strategy on bovine TB; what the total cost of organising each of those events was; and how many people attended in each case.

Alun Michael: Fly-tipping
	Defra has worked with ENCAMS to organise a series of nine regional seminars in conjunction with the Environment Agency, the Local Government Associations, the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association.
	The events have used the Flycapture database system but also included discussion on Defra's Fly-Tipping Strategy.
	The total cost of the seminars for England and Wales was £77,000 and over 400 delegates have attended the events that have been held so far. More detailed numbers of attendees will be available when the events have finished.
	Wild birds
	We are currently conducting a public consultation on an amendment to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in order to ensure that the definition of "wild bird" correctly transposes the EC Wild Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) by protecting all species of birds occurring in the wild state in the European territory of the member states. A short consultation document was issued on the 17 February and the consultation period concludes on 11 May 2004. The proposed amendment will not restrict trade in legally taken or captive bred specimens. The Department has no plans for conferences or seminars in conjunction with this consultation.
	Bovine tuberculosis
	Defra is holding workshops across England to discuss with stakeholders the issues raised in the consultation document "Preparing for a new GB strategy on bovine tuberculosis". There will be some seven regional workshops and a national meeting in London between 26 March and 5 May 2004, with some 50 delegates at   each event. The estimated cost of organising these events is £60,000 to £65,000.

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by her Department over the last five years is of British manufacture.

Alun Michael: Defra was formed in June 2001. The information requested cannot be provided, as it is not held centrally. Under public procurement rules, it would be illegal to discriminate between suppliers on grounds of nationality.

Discarded Needles

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the collection and disposal of discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Over the last two years my officials have received representations from the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management about problems associated with discarded drug paraphernalia, in particular needles. My officials are leading discussions with a number of Government Departments, notably the Home Office, Department of Health and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, looking at what action might be taken to address the problem. A drugs related litter conference took place on 12 February 2004 in Bristol which looked at identifying key issues and discussed how to take matters forward. Work in this area will continue to build upon the positive outcomes of the conference.

Environmental Protection

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government funding was available in each of the past three years to Government programmes (a) to stop people littering and polluting, (b) to promote energy efficiency and (c) to cut traffic pollution.

Alun Michael: (a) Defra funding is provided to ENCAMS (formerly Tidy Britain Group) annually. Funding over the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 3,762,000 
			 2002–03 4,597,0001 
			 2003–04 3,574,000 
		
	
	This funding supports ENCAMS work on a range oflocal environmental quality issues, including programmes to discourage littering. In addition ENCAMS is able to undertake additional work funded by or undertaken jointly with local government or other government departments and agencies.
	(b) Defra currently provides grants to aid energy efficiency through four main routes.
	1. The Carbon Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency and low carbon innovation for business and public sector
	2. The Energy Saving Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency in the domestic sector.
	3. The Community Energy programme—capital and development funding to refurbish existing and install new community heating schemes.
	4. The Warm Front programme—to provide energy efficiency measures to the vulnerable.
	1  Defra allocated an additional 1m to local authorities through ENCAMS for the Local Environmental Quality Pathfinder Programme that forged partnerships between local authorities and the local community. Some of the projects developed reduced fast food litter, railway land litter and schools litter.
	The funding made available by Defra and its predecessors to support and promote efficiency measures in the last three years (including the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust) is of the scale set out as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 256,000,000 
			 2002–03 225,000,000 
			 2003–04 (4)243,000,000 
		
	
	(4) Budget
	(c) Government currently provides funding through the Transport Energy Powershift and CleanUp programmes, which are administered by the Energy Saving Trust. Powershift provides grants towards the purchase of cleaner and more efficient alternatively fuelled vehicles e.g. LPG, natural gas and hybrid vehicles. CleanUp provides grants towards the cost of purchasing exhaust treatment systems which reduce NOxand Particulate emissions. Both programmes contribute to reducing traffic pollution and were allocated the following Government funding.
	
		
			 CleanUp   £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 7,400,000 
			 2002–03 8,300,000 
			 2003–04 12,900,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Powershift £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 5,400,000 
			 2002–03 2,200,000 
			 2003–04 7,000,000 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures refer to grant spend and do not include management and Administration costs.

Food Export Standards

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of (a) the UK Government's and (b) the EU's regulatory systems to prevent the export of food produced in the EU accession countries which does not fully comply with EU slaughter and production standards.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 22 April 2002
	It is the responsibility of the relevant competent authorities in each accession country and EU Member State to ensure that all food is produced in accordance with EU legislation. Once food is placed on the market in the EU, it is up to the relevant central competent authorities in Member States to ensure that the legal requirements continue to be met. The European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office is responsible for ensuring that  competent authorities comply with these responsibilities. The Food and Veterinary Office have carried out a series of visits to accession countries to check that they have appropriate control systems in place, and will carry out further visits to ensure continuing compliance.
	The Food Standards Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its agencies are responsible for food safety and food standards in the   UK. Enforcement responsibilities are delegated toenvironmental health and trading standards departments in Local Authorities and the Meat Hygiene Service who carry out checks on food to ensure compliance with food safety and food hygiene standards.

Farm Income

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of the (a) ending of the Over-Thirty-Months Scheme and (b) start of single farm payments on livestock holdings.

Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
	(a) If the Over-Thirty-Months-Scheme were to end for cattle born after 1 August 1996 this would lead to an increase in domestic beef production, amounting to an additional 175,000 tonnes in 2005. Consequent changes in price will depend on the initial volumes and perceived quality of cow beef, the rate of import substitution, market demand, and changes to the Date Based Export Scheme. Any losses to producers should be relatively short term and market prices for OTM cattle could, in the longer term, be expected to recover to levels close to the EU average. As the present OTMS compensation rate is below the EU market price for cull cows and demand for manufacturing beef is strong, UK farm prices for OTM cattle are expected to rise especially as exports open up leading to a positive effect on the incomes of dairy and suckler beef farmers.
	(b) Under the single farm payment scheme, direct subsidies are being decoupled from production which will provide an opportunity for farmers to respond to market signals thereby producing products that consumers demand rather than producing those that they have historically produced, or which attract larger subsidies. Payments under the single payment scheme will initially be composed of an element based on farmers' historic payment in the reference period and an element based on their farm area. Area payments will be fully implemented by 2012. There will be some redistribution of monies within the regions defined by the area payments from the more intensive to the more extensive types of farming, but the impact on individual holdings will also depend on how they respond to opportunities presented by CAP reform.

Farm Income

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm income levels for farmers in Wirral South.

Alun Michael: Due to the small number of farms in Wirral South, there are no robust data available on farm incomes for farmers in that area. Net farm income for farms in the EU North Region 1 and for England over the last five years are show in the following table.
	
		Net Farm Income -- £
		
			  EU North Region England 
		
		
			 1998–99 8,272 10,359 
			 1999–2000 8,659 7,981 
			 2000–01 12,456 9,886 
			 2001–02 16,457 13,558 
			 2002–03 18,512 16,435 
		
	
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey
	Net farm income is the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and to the tenant-type capital of the business.
	1  Comprising Government Office Regions North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Farm Income

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm income levels for farmers in Oldham, West and Royton in the past five years.

Alun Michael: Due to the small number of farms in Oldham West and Royton, there is no robust data available on farm incomes for farmers in that area over the last five years. Net farm income for farms in the EU North Region and for England over the last five years are show in the following table.
	
		Net Farm Income
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 EU North Region 8,272 8,659 12,456 16,457 18,512 
			 England 10,359 7,981 9,886 13,558 16,435 
		
	
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey
	Net farm income is the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and to the tenant-type capital of the business

Fisheries

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in setting up regional fisheries advisory councils.

Ben Bradshaw: A Council Decision to establish Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) is likely to be adopted later this month. This will provide basic principles and guidelines for setting up RACs, and should enable interested parties to take forward their proposals quickly. RACs are intended to be stakeholder bodies, not Government bodies, but we are working actively with interested organisations to help set up those RACs in which the UK has an interest.
	RACs will be international organisations, developed and run by their members. Interested parties in the UK have been at the forefront of action, and with their partners in Europe they have made excellent progress towards developing proposals for RACs in the North Sea and in North Western Community Waters.

Flood Defences

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent measures her Department has taken to protect against flooding in the Vale of York.

Elliot Morley: Decisions on which projects are promoted and their timing rests with the operating authorities.
	Within the Vale of York constituency, the Environment Agency has recently improved protection at Boroughbridge and restored flood defences at Rawcliffe which were damaged following the floods in autumn 2000. They are also promoting a series of flood warning improvements in the region.
	A number of long-term strategies looking at ways to reduce flood risks are being promoted by EA; included are studies on the rivers Ouse, Nidd and Ure.
	Defra regional engineers are assisting Hambleton district council with studies into looking at options to reduce the flood risk from Cod Beck in Thirsk. If these studies should result in a project meeting our standard criteria, Defra will consider it for grant aid.
	Finally, Rawcliffe IDB has looked into flood risks at Blue Beck and have introduced (in co-operation with York city council) a programme of maintenance to reduce the build up of debris at key installations.

GM Soya

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of GM soya cultivation in the Colonia Loma Senes region of Argentina in order to inform her policy for the United Kingdom.

Elliot Morley: I am aware of various reports of the environmental benefits from the cultivation of GM soya and some reported disadvantages apparently due to mishandling of herbicides. However the Department has not made an assessment of GM soya cultivation in Argentina or elsewhere. Soya is not suitable for general cultivation in the UK and no application has been made to cultivate GM soya in the European Union.

GM Micro-organisms

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the potential impacts on the European fermentation industry of the decision to be taken in Europe about whether to include within the traceability and labelling regulations those products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has held with and what representations she has received from (a) the Food and   Drink Federation, (b) the European Federation ofEuropean Food Additives and Food Enzymes Industries, (c) the Confederation of Food and Drink Industries of the European Union, (d) individual companies involved in the fermentation sector and (e) other stakeholders about the interpretation of the new traceability and labelling regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms;
	(3)  what recent representations she has received about the forthcoming discussions with the European Commission and other member states about the interpretation of the new traceability and labelling regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms;
	(4)  what her policy objectives are for the forthcoming discussions with the European Commission and other member states about the interpretation of the new traceability and labelling regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms when those organisms are not contained in the final product; and what specific communication she (a) has had and (b) intends to have with other member states to secure those objectives.

Elliot Morley: The Secretary of State has not discussed the interpretation of the new traceability and labelling regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms with stakeholders. However, last autumn officials from the Food Standards Agency and my Department held a series of stakeholder meetings with those interested in the new legislation, including industry bodies and associations, to discuss the implications and scope of both the Genetically Modified Food and Feed Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 and the Traceability and Labelling Regulation (EC) 1830/2003.
	At one of these meetings and subsequently, the food and feed industry raised specific concerns in relation to the labelling of products arising from a fermentation process using either genetically modified micro-organisms and/or genetically modified substrates. The UK and other member states raised this issue with the Commission who have undertaken to take forward a discussion at Standing Committee where the Food Standards Agency will seek clarification on the status of these products.
	During negotiations on the content of the regulations at European level in 2001 my Department held a separate consultation on the content of the regulations, which provided an additional opportunity for stakeholders, including those in the fermentation industry, to raise issues and concerns.
	The Commission produced a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the new Regulations prior to negotiations. Furthermore, following meetings with stakeholders last year and subsequent discussions with the European Commission to promote consistency of   interpretation across the European Union, my Department and the Food Standards Agency have recently launched a new public consultation on the domestic implementation of the new regulations. This includes draft guidance and draft Regulatory Impact Assessment. Final versions will be published once responses have been considered.

GM Micro-organisms

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects further substantive discussions to take place in Europe about the interpretation of the new Traceability and Labelling Regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms; and by whom the United Kingdom will be represented in those discussions.

Elliot Morley: The Department expects that substantive discussions about the interpretation of the new Traceability and Labelling Regulations vis-a-vis products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms will take place in the relevant European Union Regulatory and Standing Committees. Officials from my Department and/or the Food Standards Agency will represent the UK at these meetings. A Standing Committee discussing general food law considered the issue on 30 April 2004. The Commission has suggested that a working group to discuss these issues concerning products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms in more detail should take place before the next Standing Committee in June. However, no date has been finalised as yet.

GM Micro-organisms

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she intends to make it her policy that discussions about the interpretation of the new Traceability and Labelling Regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms should continue as part of the two-year review process for the Regulations.

Elliot Morley: The new Regulations contain specific review provisions, on which the Commission is tasked to report to the European Parliament and to the Council by respectively October and November 2005. The review report may cover any aspect of the Regulations, including in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms. The UK Government will play a full part in contributing to the Commission's review and will discuss UK stakeholders' concerns within the context of the Regulations' provisions where appropriate.

Horse Exports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses were exported from the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: Computer based systems relating to export health certification from the UK show that during 2003 export health certificates for 733 horses were issued to non-EU destinations and for 8,478 horses to ED destinations. These figures include horses in transit from non-EU countries to EU Member States and animals exported temporarily from the UK for   competition purposes. The figures exclude the movement of certain horses to France and Ireland which under a Tripartite Agreement do not require export health certification.

Horse Passports

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the Government has been of the introduction of (a) horse passports and (b) the equine database.

Alun Michael: Work began in the financial year 2002–03 to extend the requirement for passports to all equines and introduce a national equine database in partnership with industry.
	The cost to the Exchequer in that financial year was less than £130,000 and in financial year 2003–04 the cost was less than £500,000, including publicity. These funds were found from within existing resources.

Horse Passports

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to the horse industry of the introduction of (a) horse passports and (b) the equine database.

Alun Michael: A regulatory impact assessment was deposited in the House Libraries with the Horse Passport (England) Regulations 2003. That assessment is being updated and a copy will also be deposited in the House Libraries when the 2004 regulations are laid shortly. This will include an assessment of costs linked to the introduction of the database.
	The equine database is being introduced following an initiative by the equine industry in partnership with the Government. It will include some statutory data, though potentially the largest volume of data will be provided by the industry for the industry on a voluntary basis. This will be breeding, performance and evaluation data.

Intensive Farming

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to propose changes to EU animal welfare regulations to improve the conditions of intensively farmed livestock and poultry;
	(2)  if she will commission further research into the efficacy of existing welfare standards applying to intensively reared livestock and poultry.

Ben Bradshaw: It is for the EU Commission to propose changes to EU animal welfare legislation. In drawing up proposals, the Commission takes account of advice from its own scientific committee—the Animal Health and Animal Welfare Panel of the European Food Safety Authority; the results of research undertaken by Member States and developments in husbandry techniques.
	Defra's farm animal welfare research programme is wide ranging, with projects on all the main livestock species. Details of our current projects can be found on the Defra website. The research provides a sound scientific basis to inform our policies and helps identify areas where we can press the Commission to come forward with proposals to improve the legislation.

Intensive Farming

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for   Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the standard of enforcement of animal welfare regulations governing intensive livestock and poultry units;
	(2)  how many inspectors are engaged in maintaining animal welfare regulations governing intensive livestock and poultry units in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the levels of qualifications of inspectors.

Ben Bradshaw: This Government is committed to ensuring a high standard of welfare on farms and to properly enforcing the legislation. The State Veterinary Service is the primary enforcement authority in the UK and 368 veterinary officers are engaged in the enforcement of on-farm welfare legislation. These officers are all qualified veterinary surgeons and have received comprehensive training and written instructions on how to enforce the legislation.
	In 1999, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), an independent body which advises Ministers on animal welfare issues, published its report on the enforcement of animal welfare legislation. Our response to FAWC's report can be found on the Defra website.
	The EU Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) is responsible for carrying out audits of the implementation and enforcement of animal welfare legislation in all Member States to ensure that it is being carried out uniformly across the Community.

Licensed Abattoirs

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licensed abattoirs there were in England (a) in 1991, (b) in 1997 and (c) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: The number of licensed abattoirs in England is as follows:
	
		
			  Red meat White meat 
		
		
			 1991 593 98 
			 1997 375 131 
			 April 2004 278 110

Mechanically Propelled Vehicles

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to publish her Department's response to the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on rights of way consultation document.

Alun Michael: We received more than 15,000 letters and e-mails about the consultation on the use of mechanised vehicles on rights of way. These are currently being analysed and I expect to make a statement on the way ahead once I have fully considered that analysis.

Parish and Town Councils

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice and assistance (a) her Department and (b) the Countryside Agency provide to parish and town councils who wish to (i) start up and (ii) develop their own website.

Alun Michael: Defra has supported the Countryside Agency's work to promote the use of ICT within the parish sector.
	In 2002 the Agency worked with the Local Government Association (LGA), the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), to develop and implement a web-based management and good practice guide for the parish and town council sector. It has a focus on partnership working between parish and town councils and principal local authorities. This 'toolkit' was launched in September 2002 and is hosted within the existing 'Knowledge' website created and managed by IDeA to serve as local government's own management good practice 'warehouse' of information and guidance.
	The Countryside Agency has advised NALC on a current project, 'Connecting with Communities'. ODPM, the LGA, IDeA and the Audit Commission have jointly produced a good practice toolkit offering comprehensive communications support to local authorities. This toolkit, found at www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk contains professional advice, best practice case studies and hundreds of documents that can be downloaded free-of-charge to help spread good practice.
	The Countryside Agency continues to work with NALC to explore ways in which ICT skills, acquisition of suitable equipment and its usage within the parish and town council sector can be enhanced and supported.

Parish and Town Councils

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research (a) her Department and (b) the Countryside Agency have commissioned into the role, functions and relevance of parish and town councils in the last five years.

Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs funds came into being in June 2001 and took over responsibility for the Countryside Agency whose responsibilities have included relevant research. Prior to 2001 the Agency was funded by the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions.
	(b) Relevant research commissioned by the Countryside Agency in the last few years is as follows:
	(i) The report, Training for Local Councils' was produced for the Countryside Agency by the (then) Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education and was published in 2000.
	(ii) In 2003 the University of Gloucestershire was commissioned to research internet resources available to local councils, including websites, e-groups and networks. The study researched how the internet was being used by parish and town councils by identifying good practice, barriers to use, and gaps in provision. The resulting research report, 'Internet resources for town and parish councils', is available from the Agency's website.
	(iii) In 2004 the Countryside Agency commissioned UKVillages On Line to manage an on-line poll on attitudes towards parish and town councils. The results have been reported in 'Local Councils Review' and are also available on the Countryside Agency's website.

Radon Gas

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations govern (a) testing for radon gas in homes and (b) disclosure of radon gas levels when houses are bought and sold.

Keith Hill: I have been asked to reply.
	There are currently no regulations that govern the testing for radon gas in homes.
	Approximately 450,000 radon measurements, mostly Government-funded, have been carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) since 1987. By 1998, every home in England with a greater than 5 per cent. probability of being at or above the radon level of 200 becquerels per cubic metre of air—known as the Action Level—had been offered a free measurement.
	The Government have designated areas where new homes should include radon protective measures during their construction to satisfy the requirements of the Building Regulations. This was introduced in 1988 and applied only to parts of Devon and Cornwall, but in 1999 was broadened to include all parts of England and Wales where there is a significant probability of exceeding the Action Level.
	It is standard practice for potential home-buyers to carry out a local search. This currently includes information on whether or not the property is located within a radon affected area. Guidance to local authorities from the Local Government Association asks them to provide further information to enquirers where this is the case.
	The Government intend to include standard searches in home information packs, legislation for which is in the Housing Bill.

Rural Payments Agency

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the Rural Payments Agency's performance; how many complaints were received against the Rural Payments Agency in (a) 2001 and (b) 2003, broken down by type of complaint; when the full development of the Rural Payments Agency will be completed; and what her assessment is of the ability of the Rural Payments Agency to cope with changes owing to reform of the common agricultural policy.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agreed to the creation of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on 16 October 2001.
	The RPA's second Annual Report and Accounts, which records performance against the agency's key performance targets, as set by the Secretary of State, was published on 18 September 2003.
	An Ownership Board chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Environment, Food and   Rural Affairs meets quarterly to monitor the performance of the agency, on behalf of the Secretary of State. In addition, I receive weekly progress reports, as the RPA is part of my ministerial portfolio. I also monitor the response to issues raised by MPs and regularly discuss relevant issues with the agency.
	The number of complaints dealt with under the RPA's complaints procedure in 2001 and 2003 are set out in the table. These have been broken down into complaints regarding Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and Non-IACS schemes.
	
		
			 Schemes 2001 1 2003 
		
		
			 IACS 3 134 
			 Non-IACS 0 21 
			 Total 3 155 
		
	
	(5) Figures for calendar years from creation of RPA 16 October 2001.
	The RPA could not extrapolate the data required to break these figures down to 'type of complaint' without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The RPA undertakes regular customer research through a third party to monitor attitudes to its standards of service. The verbatim comments from the 2003 survey indicate that the vast majority of complaints are aimed at the scheme rules and payments rather than at the level of service received.
	The primary development of the RPA is through the RPA Change Programme, which now includes the implementation of the changes resulting from CAP reform. It is planned that these changes will be largely completed by December 2005. The RPA are monitoring the on-going development of the Change Programme to ensure that customer satisfaction is maintained. This may mean future changes to the schedule in order to meet quality requirements. Full year benefits from the Change Programme will be delivered in the financial year 2006–07.
	I have every confidence in the ability of the RPA to implement the changes owing to reform of the common agricultural policy.

Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber.

Elliot Morley: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has lead responsibility for establishing a central point of expertise on timber procurement (CPET) and is responsible for organising the resources necessary for its operation.
	In December 2003 Defra announced that as a first step the CPET would assess forest certification schemes in relation to Government contract requirements. Bids for this project have been received and are being evaluated. It is intended that this work will culminate in revised guidance that will be made public at the end of August 2004 or thereabouts.
	The experience gained from operating the first phase of the CPET will help shape the plans for services in the subsequent phases. This is a new venture and the Government is concerned to ensure that the value of its   output is matched with the appropriate level of investment. Defra will consult other Government Departments and other stakeholders to determine the detailed objectives for the next phase of the project, when that phase should be implemented and how the resources should be provided. The investment appraisal will consider, among other options, whether an expanded CPET service could become self-financing to some extent.
	The Government remains firmly committed to the establishment of the CPET as integral to implementing its timber procurement policy and its wider efforts to   tackle illegal logging and promote sustainable development in forest management.

Vale of York

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken to ensure that officials employed by (a) her Department and (b) executive agencies reporting to her Department who deal with the Vale of York (i) have visited the Vale of York and (ii) have a full working knowledge of the area.

Alun Michael: The following list shows those Defra organisations who operate 'in the field' in the Vale of York.
	Core Defra Departments
	Rural Development Service
	State Veterinary Service
	Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate
	Egg Marketing Inspectorate
	Defra Executive Agencies
	Central Science Laboratory
	Pesticides Safety Directorate
	Rural Payments Agency
	Veterinary Laboratories Agency
	Non-Departmental Public Bodies
	Countryside Agency
	English Nature
	Environment Agency
	Public Corporations Sponsored by Defra
	British Waterways Board
	Defra Funded Organisations
	Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
	Related Organisations
	Government Office for Yorkshire and The Number Rural Team
	Forestry Commission
	English Heritage
	A minimum of 16 members of Defra and related organisations staff have within their field/operational responsibility the Vale of York area.
	Due to time constraints it is not possible to produce an accurate figure for the actual number of staff involved, nor objectively assess individual's levels of experience.
	However, in recognition of this complexity, a Defra Implementers Group (DIG) has been formed in York and Number with an agreed vision statement "To achieve improved implementation of schemes and programmes delivered by the Defra family from the perspective of our customers". This activity pre-dated the Haskins review of Rural Service Delivery and was the first of it's kind to look at better co-ordination of frontline service delivery in Defra. Workshops were held between Jan and May 2003 to consider practical ideas to improve 'frontline delivery' of Defra 'family' work, in terms of service to customers, quality and effectiveness. A pilot project is currently looking to develop these ideas under the following headings;
	awareness Raising across the Defra 'family'
	using Information Technology to improve service delivery
	closer Working of Defra staff
	integrated Rural Development projects demonstrating joined up working
	In an attempt to positively engage with constituency issues such as this, Gordon Kingston (GOYH Rural Director) attends the hon. Member's "Yorkshire First" Westminster Round Table quarterly events.
	In addition, all Defra staff are encouraged to have an understanding of customer and other stakeholders needs via our competency framework which are used to measure their performance e.g. the 'Building Relationships' competency.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Child Minders (Regulation)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for   Education and Skills if he will make a statement on   the effectiveness of Ofsted in regulating child minders.

Margaret Hodge: The effectiveness of Ofsted in regulating child minders is a matter for the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) and I have asked HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell, to write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Classroom Assistants

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new classroom assistant positions have been created in England in the last seven years.

David Miliband: The Department collects information on the number of classroom assistants employed in England in January of each year. In January 2004 there   were, provisionally, 132,600 teaching assistants employed on a full-time equivalent basis in maintained schools in England, an increase of 71,400 since January 1997.

Correspondence

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many letters received during this session by (a) Ministers and (b) officials from universities enclosed letters written by hon. Members or which included details of any hon. Members' comments on, or their voting intentions in respect of, the Higher Education Bill.

Stephen Twigg: Since the beginning of the parliamentary session 2003–04, the Department has received over 1,400 letters on the Higher Education Bill. Correspondence is not systematically analysed to provide this information. Scrutiny of the correspondence to provide this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education Funding

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Oldham, West and Royton have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception.

David Miliband: The following table shows the number of children in Oldham, West and Royton benefiting from EiC, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.
	
		
			  Number of children Total EiC expenditure(6)(£) Spend per pupil (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 8,299 549,988 66.27 
			 2002–03 8,184 1,833,178 224.00 
			 2003–04 8,218 2,301,203 280.02 
		
	
	(6) All funding figures supplied by Oldham Excellence in Cities Team.
	The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 2002–03 is due to the extra funding provided through the Behaviour Improvement Programme and the increase in 2003–04 is due to the introduction of the Leadership Incentive Grant.

Education Maintenance Allowances

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many extra people in the North West he expects to stay in education as a result of the introduction of education maintenance allowances; and what plans he has to provide extra funding to further education colleges in the North West to support these extra students.

Alan Johnson: We estimate that there will be about 3,900 extra 16 year olds in the North West Region in further education this September who would not be participating without the EMA. There will also be a significant number of extra 17 and 18 year olds in further education in the pilot areas.
	The 2002 Spending Review settlement allowed for the expected impact of national EMA in further education institutions, including further education colleges.

Educational Attainment

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 11-year-olds achieved level 4 at Key Stage 2 in England in (a) literacy, (b) numeracy and (c) science in each year   since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Failing Schools

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Oldham West and Royton deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards.

David Miliband: Two primary schools in Oldham West and Royton deemed to be failing have since reached satisfactory standards.

Free School Milk

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the local education authorities which do not offer free milk to children eligible for free school meals; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 26 April 2004
	The Department for Education and Skills does not collect any data on school milk provision.

Further Education Colleges

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to provide funding to help further education colleges in (a) Heywood and Middleton and (b) the North West specifically to refurbish and rebuild their estates.

Alan Johnson: We have set out plans for 60 per cent. real terms increase in capital expenditure in the post-16 learning and skills sector in 2005–06 compared to 2002–03.
	The Department does not provide a specific budget to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for rebuilding/refurbishing further education colleges. It is for the LSC to determine for itself the right level of capital investment in further education colleges from the funds allocated to it by the Department for capital investment. This includes decisions about the level of funding that it expects colleges to contribute to capital projects.
	This is an operational matter for the LSC. Mr. Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

GCSE

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Bootle achieved more than five GCSEs at grade A*-C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(7) achieving five or more grades A*-C
		
			 Academic Year Bootle England 
		
		
			 1997 24.3 45.1 
			 1998 22.1 46.3 
			 1999 29.5 47.9 
			 2000 28.7 49.2 
			 2001 31.4 50.0 
			 2002 36.1 51.6 
			 2003 34.7 52.9 
		
	
	(7) GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

Higher Education

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on higher education in Oldham, West and Royton in each of the last seven years.

Alan Johnson: The only publicly funded institution providing higher education in Oldham, West and Royton is Oldham College. The amounts of public funding spent in the years for which figures are available are shown in the table below. Expenditure was by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and by the Students Loans Company (SLC). The latter relates only to spending on tuition fees, student loans (cash cost) and the Dependants Grant. Data prior to 1999/2000 are not available. The figures for student support do not include spending on other additional grants, namely, Disabled Students Allowances, Care Leavers Grant and Travel Grant. These were paid through local education authorities, up to 2003/04, and figures are not held centrally.
	
		£000
		
			 Academic year HEFCE funding SLC funding 
		
		
			 1997–98 275 n/a 
			 1998–99 422 n/a 
			 1999–2000 908 409.1 
			 2000–01 1,100 653.8 
			 2001–02 1,300 926.1 
			 2002–03 1,400 1,094.7 
			 2003–04 1,600 n/a 
		
	
	In addition, institutions located outside Oldham, West and Royton may be undertaking activities in the area, for example outreach to raise the attainment and aspirations of potential higher education entrants, or special arrangements with schools and colleges to improve progression into higher education. This information is not held centrally.

Higher Education

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on higher education in Burnley in each of the last seven years.

Alan Johnson: The only publicly funded institution providing higher education in Burnley is Burnley College. The amounts of public funding spent in academic years and for which figures are available are shown in the following table. Expenditure was by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and by the Student Loans Company (SLC).
	
		£000
		
			  1999/2000 2000/01 
		
		
			 HEFCE funding(8) 134 n/a 
			 SLC expenditure(9) 0 4.1 
		
	
	(8) The 1999/2000 figure is the Basic Teaching Grant from HEFCE. Burnley College transferred their directly funded numbers to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) as from 2000/01 and HEFCE do not hold information on the amount of funding passed by UCLAN to Burnley College in respect of students covered by their franchise arrangements. Figures for HNC and HND provision funded via the Further Education Funding Council prior to 1999/2000 are not held centrally.
	(9) Expenditure by the Student Loans Company includes fees, loans (cash costs) and the Dependants Grant. Data prior to 1999/2000 are not available. Expenditure information on other grants (Disabled Students' Allowances, Care Leavers' Grant and Travel Grant) that were, until 2003/04, paid through local education authorities is not held centrally.

Higher Education

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on higher education in Wigan in each of the last seven years.

Alan Johnson: The only publicly funded institution providing higher education in Wigan is Wigan and Leigh College. The amounts of public funding spent in academic years and for which figures are available are shown in the following table. Expenditure was by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and by the Student Loans Company (SLC).
	
		£ million
		
			  HEFCE funding(10) SLC expenditure(11) 
		
		
			 1997/98 0.951 n/a 
			 1998/99 1.2 n/a 
			 1999/2000 2. 1 1.407 
			 2000/01 1.934 1.098 
			 2001/02 1.935 0.971 
			 2002/03 1.621 0.935 
			 2003/04 1.611 n/a 
		
	
	(10) This is the Basic Teaching Grant from HEFCE.
	(11) SLC expenditure includes fees, loans (cash costs) and the Dependants Grant. Data prior to 1999/2000 and for 2003/04 is not available. Expenditure information on other grants (Disabled Students' Allowances, Care Leavers' Grant and Travel Grant) paid through local education authorities until 2003/04 is not available.

Medical Students

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the criteria for selecting students to participate on medical courses under his programme for widening participation in medicine; and what opportunities there are for students with 30 or more points at A Level who have failed to obtain a place to study medicine to participate in this programme;
	(2)  how much funding has been allocated by the Government to the widening access programme in medical education in the current academic year; how much he plans to allocate in subsequent years; and if he   will break down such funding by individual institution;
	(3)  how much funding has been allocated to the improving retention pot for university medical schools for (a) the academic year 2004–05 and (b) subsequent years.

Alan Johnson: The admission and selection of students is a matter for individual institutions. Admissions should always be based on individual merit. Professor Steven Schwartz, Vice-Chancellor of Brunel University, is leading a review which will produce a set   of high level principles on admissions and help universities learn from best practice at home and abroad.
	We know that both the new and existing medical schools are themselves doing excellent work to address some of the access and diversity issues that surround the application and selection process. One of the criteria for the establishment of new medical schools in recent years has been the need to demonstrate an active commitment to widening participation from a broad range of social and ethnic backgrounds to reflect the patterns of populations which are served by the NHS.
	In addition, there are projects under the Government's Aimhigher programme aimed at the healthcare professions. Aimhigher, the national outreach programme which operates most intensively in   disadvantaged areas, provides funds to local partnerships to increase the attainment levels of young people and raise their aspirations towards university and progression.
	In addition, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has earmarked £273 million for widening participation in 2004–05, which is allocated as part of the block grant to institutions. Included in this sum is £49 million for widening access and £213 million for improving retention. The breakdown by institution is published in the HEFCE document, "Recurrent Grants for 2004–05" (March 2004/12). No decisions on allocations after that date have yet been made.
	The HEFCE widening participation allocation provides some assistance to universities with the additional costs of recruiting and retaining students from non-traditional backgrounds. The allocation is not an incentive. It is paid to the institution, not to individual schools or departments, towards the support costs of students from non-traditional backgrounds who complete a year of their studies. How the funds are used is entirely a matter for the institution.

Middle Schools

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for   Education and Skills in which local education authorities there are middle schools as part of a three tier school system.

David Miliband: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The following local education authorities have middle schools as part of a three tier school system:
	Bedfordshire
	Cambridgeshire
	Devon
	Dorset
	Harrow
	Hertfordshire
	Isle of Wight
	Kent
	Kirklees
	Leicestershire
	Milton Keynes
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Norfolk
	North
	Tyneside
	North Yorkshire
	Northamptonshire
	Northumberland
	Poole
	Somerset
	Staffordshire
	Suffolk
	West Sussex
	Wiltshire
	Windsor and Maidenhead
	Worcestershire

Music and Dance Scheme

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the annual budget is of the Music and Dance scheme;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the remit of the Music and Dance scheme.

David Miliband: The budget for the Music and Dance scheme in the current financial year 2004–05 is £15.9 million.
	The scheme currently supports over 800 exceptionally talented children at eight independent specialist schools, four music schools and four dance schools, which are regarded as centres of excellence in their field. In addition, around 80 choristers are helped each year through a subset of the scheme, the Choir Schools Scholarship scheme. Through outreach and partnership working the schools share their expertise and provide music, singing and dance experiences and training for many who would not otherwise get the chance. From September 2004, the scheme is being extended to give greater opportunities for talented children to receive the specialist training they need. A new national grants scheme will enable them to gain access locally to such training out of school hours at four new centres for advanced training and at the junior departments of the six music conservatoires.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) Ordinary Written and (b) Named Day Questions his Department received in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session, broken down by month.

Stephen Twigg: The information appears in the following tables.
	
		
			  Named Day Questions Ordinary Written Questions 
		
		
			 Year 2002   
			 November 23 12 
			 December 82 213 
			
			 Year 2003   
			 January 58 320 
			 February 45 294 
			 March 51 296 
			 April 53 343 
			 May 48 248 
			 June 87 445 
			 July 37 359 
			 August 0 3 
			 September 41 236 
			 October 62 323 
			 November 43 312 
			 Total 630 3,404 
		
	
	
		
			  Current session Named Day Questions Ordinary Written Questions 
		
		
			 Year 2003   
			 November 10 36 
			 December 84 331 
			
			 Year 2004   
			 January 98 451 
			 February 89 360 
			 March 122 525 
			 April 48 509 
			 Total 451 2,212

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of Ordinary Written Questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling, and what proportion of Questions for a Written Answer on a named day received a substantive answer on that day, in (a) the 2002–03 parliamentary session and (b) this parliamentary session, broken down by month.

Stephen Twigg: The requested information is listed in the following tables. DfES Ministers take their   parliamentary responsibilities very seriously and endeavour to reply to all Parliamentary Questions within the specified deadline.
	
		2002–03 parliamentary session -- Percentage
		
			  Percentage of ordinary written questions answered within five sitting days of tabling Percentage of named day questions receiving a substantive answer on named day 
		
		
			 November 45 57 
			 December 68.87 37 
			 January 81.33 24 
			 February 63.71 27 
			 March 74.64 42 
			 April 52.43 26 
			 May 57.75 50 
			 June 70.33 22 
			 July 80.92 26 
			 August n/a n/a 
			 September 82.15 54 
			 October 76.82 42 
			 November 92.46 52 
		
	
	
		Current parliamentary session 2003–04 -- Percentage
		
			  Percentage of ordinary written questions answered within five sitting days of tabling Percentage of named day questions receiving a substantive answer on named day 
		
		
			 November — (12)n/a 
			 December 65.6 21 
			 January 71.47 20 
			 February 70.47 22 
			 March 81.45 38 
			 April 80.74 20 
		
	
	(12) The current Parliamentary session began on 28 November. No questions were due for answer between then and 30 November

Postgraduate Students

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from universities regarding difficulties in attracting and retaining postgraduate students from within the United Kingdom.

Alan Johnson: Both my right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations from universities about postgraduate education and research. These have included trends and participation in postgraduate programmes. Over the period 1996–97 to 2002–03 there has been a 16 per cent. increase in the number of UK domiciled postgraduate students. The Government recognise the importance of encouraging more students into postgraduate and research study and have taken a number of initiatives to achieve this, including increases to stipends for PhD students and post-doctoral salaries.

Private Sector HE Colleges

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the criteria are relating to private sector colleges of higher education (a) for Government support for fees charged to individual students and (b) for acceptance of the institution for support from a funding council.

Alan Johnson: If their course has been 'specifically designated' for student support by my Department, eligible students on courses of higher education at private institutions can apply for support for fees, loans for maintenance and, where appropriate, disabled students' allowance. Generally, the fee rate for a specifically designated course at a private institution will be lower than the publicly funded rate and is not subject to means test. For 2004/05, the fee rate is £1,075.
	To be designated for support, a course must be:
	at least Certificate of Higher Education level and less than postgraduate level;
	validated by a recognised UK degree awarding body; and
	of at least one academic year in duration.
	Institutions funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) are able to franchise courses to private sector colleges, which would receive indirect funding. To be directly funded by HEFCE, a private sector college would need to be designated for funding by the Secretary of State under section 129 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The Secretary of State, in reaching a decision on designation, will seek advice from HEFCE. In addition to considering what is affordable to fund, the criteria which the Council use in forming their advice can be found in HEFCE publication 01/05, "Transfers Between the Further and Higher Education Sectors", which I have placed in the House of Commons Library.

Recycled Paper

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that (a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.

Stephen Twigg: The "quick win targets" set by DEFRA were communicated widely within the Department, particularly to procurement sections, in   October 2003. Due to a lack of re-contracting opportunities since that date it has not so far been possible to implement specific measures to ensure the Department meets the quick win targets. Procurement sections have undertaken to introduce these as soon as re-contracting opportunities arise.

Recycled Paper

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the Department's main suppliers of (a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports, in each case stating (i) the name of each paper used and (ii) the recycled and post-consumer recycled content of each paper.

Stephen Twigg: My Department's main suppliers of (a) copier paper and (d) paper for reports are Banner Business Supplies, Guilbert UK Ltd., Glenmore Business Papers, the Paper Company (formerly known as Twenty c Paper) and Premium Paper. Suppliers for (c) envelopes are Banner Business Supplies and (b) stationery are Banner Business Supplies and AlphaGraphics. However information for parts (i) and (ii) is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Recycled Paper

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained.

Stephen Twigg: My Department had no procedures in place to capture information on copying paper in 2002–03. New environmental monitoring arrangements were put in place when new departmental printing contracts were introduced in 2003–04 but the available part-year data have not yet been compiled and analysed.

Recycled Paper

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of paper for printed publications used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained.

Stephen Twigg: My Department had no procedures in place to capture information on paper for printed publications in 2002–03. New environmental monitoring arrangements were put in place when new departmental printing contracts were introduced in 2003–04 but the available part-year data have not yet been compiled and analysed.

Recycled Paper

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content.

Stephen Twigg: The "quick win targets" set by DEFRA were communicated widely within the Department, particularly to procurement sections, in   October 2003. Due to a lack of re-contracting opportunities since that date it has not so far been possible to implement specific measures to ensure the Department meets the quick win targets. Procurement sections have undertaken to introduce these as soon as re-contracting opportunities arise.

School Buildings

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will set a target date for the completion of outstanding repairs to school buildings;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the Government's progress towards achieving its target of rebuilding or remodelling 650 schools by 2004;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the Government's progress towards its target for substantial repairs to be made to 7,000 schools by this year.

David Miliband: Central government capital support for investment in school buildings in England has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £4.5 billion this year and will rise further to over £5 billion in 2005–06. Most of this funding is allocated by formula to schools and local education authorities so that they can address their investment needs, which are prioritised locally in asset management plans. My department does not collect detailed information on local investment decisions, in view of the unacceptable bureaucratic burden this would impose. The targets mentioned by the hon. Member were realistic estimates based on the increased levels of capital funding available to schools and to authorities. However, we are confident that local education authorities and schools have the investment available for their schools to reach these targets.
	For instance, funding includes direct capital funding for every school. From 2002–03 to 2004–05, a typical secondary school has received over £200,000 of its own capital, and a typical primary school over £60,000, enabling them to improve their buildings in line with their priorities. Therefore, we believe that virtually every school in the country has now benefited from substantial repairs or improvements to its buildings, far in excess of the target of £7,000.
	Further, funding also includes support for PFI projects. By September 2004, from signed PFI contracts, about 130 newly built or rebuilt schools are scheduled to be operating, plus a similar number of refurbished schools. There are a further 220 schools, new built and refurbished, which are also scheduled to benefit from these PFI contracts. Over 80 schools benefited from substantial investment from New Deal for Schools funding. In the voluntary aided sector, where we allocate funding directly to schools, there have been 90 new or rebuilt school projects in the last five to six years. In addition, authorities are investing in new and rebuilt schools to meet local population growth and the needs of 21st century teaching and learning.
	By 2004–05, this government will have provided a total of £24 billion for investment in school buildings in England, enabling schools and authorities to address the backlog of repairs that had built up as a result of years of under-funding and to begin to make schools suitable for the teaching and learning needs of the 21st century.
	Earlier this year, I announced the first wave of authorities to benefit from the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which aims to renew all secondary schools in England in 10–15 years from 2005–06, subject to future spending decisions. In addition to the BSF programme, we will continue to make substantial funding available for schools in the primary sector and those in the secondary sector not prioritised in BSF. School buildings will continue to be improved in line with local priorities, and support provided for the continuing cyclical, predictive and reactive maintenance needs which are a necessary part of the upkeep of all school buildings so that they do not again decay. In value for money terms, there may be occasions when it is preferable to wait for strategic renewal of a school rather than continue to patch and mend. This will be a local decision. Given this, I do not   intend to set a target date for completion of outstanding repairs.

School Funding

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will break down funding for each category under school spending in table 2.4 of the Department's Annual Report for 2004 between (a) grants provided by the Department, (b) revenue support grant, (c) amounts collected through the council tax and (d) other revenue streams for each local education authority for each financial year since 1998–99;
	(2)  pursuant to Table 2.2 of the Department's 2004 Annual Report, if he will break down the spending on schools between primary and secondary schools.

David Miliband: It is not possible to answer these questions in precisely the way they have been asked as data are not collected centrally on this basis and local authorities are generally free to determine the distribution of grant between the primary and secondary sectors as they see fit, although the data in Table 2.3 indicate an approximate 45:55 split between primary and secondary schools.
	Table 2.2 provides details of DfES grants to schools and local education authorities that support schools. The bulk of Government support for schools for the figures in Table 2.4 is provided through the Education Formula Spending Share, details of which are provided in Table 2.1, but it is not possible to sub-divide this distribution accurately between the sectors in Table 2.4.

School Results

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Oldham, West and Royton achieved five or more GCSRs at grade A*–C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(13) achieving five or more grades A*–C -- Percentage
		
			 Academic year Oldham, West and Royton England 
		
		
			 1997 34.6 45.1 
			 1998 35.8 46.3 
			 1999 34.8 47.9 
			 2000 38.5 49.2 
			 2001 37.8 50.0 
			 2002 38.1 51.6 
			 2003 40.9 52.9 
		
	
	(13) GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

School Sports

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the effects on schools of changes since 1997 in the level of investment in school sports in Oldham, West and Royton;
	(2)  how much money has been invested in school sports in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged 5 to 16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government are investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of 5 to 16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing just over £316,000 to support the delivery of a School Sport Partnership in the Oldham LEA area. The partnership includes five secondary and 25 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Oldham LEA area with over £3.3 million specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities.

School Sports

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effects on schools of changes since 1997 in the level of investment in school sports in Bootle.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where physical education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged five to 16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government are investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of five to 16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing £273,121 to support the delivery of a School Sport Partnership in the Sefton area. The partnership includes six secondary and 19 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and school sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Sefton LEA area with over £3,331,000 specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities.

Schools (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in South Ribble deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards.

David Miliband: No schools in South Ribble have been deemed to be failing since 1997.

Schools (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been spent to develop school sports in South Ribble since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged 5–16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government is investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of 5–16 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing £440,130 to support the delivery of a School Sport Partnership in the South Ribble area. The partnership includes 6 secondary and 20 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Lancashire LEA area with nearly £12 million specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities.

Schools (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will list the building improvements in each school in South Ribble since 1997; and how much was spent on each improvement;
	(2)  how much public funding has been spent on repairing schools in South Ribble in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how much funding each school in South Ribble has received from the New Deal for Schools.

David Miliband: The majority of capital support is allocated to schools and local education authorities (LEAs) by formula, and they decide how to invest it in line with their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about capital investment at constituency level. Table A sets out the capital support given by the Government to Lancashire LEA since 1997–98, in total and by programme, including devolved formula capital grants to each school. Table B shows the schools in the South Ribble constituency that benefited from investment through the New Deal for Schools (NDS) programme, which ran between 1997–98 and 2000–01.
	
		Table A: Lancashire LEA capital allocations -- £000
		
			 Type 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 1 2005–06 
		
		
			 Additional NDS Grant (615) — — — — 1,510 — — — — 
			 Assistance with AMPs — — 189 — — — — — — 
			 Basic L C Vap — — — — 378 2,167 2,813 — — 
			 Basic need 5,388 5,519 4,766 6,543 2,931 4,597 9,312 1,200 2,713 
			 Class size initiative — 1,238 3,711 2,190 347 89 — — — 
			 Condition — — — — 7,923 12,228 16,043 — — 
			 Devolved formula — — — 9,115 7,517 11,489 17,518 11,811 — 
			 Energy — 353 — — — — — — — 
			 Modernisation (Primary) — — — — — — — 3,965 — 
			 Modernisation LEA — — — — — — — 3,500 — 
			 Modernisation LEA — — — — — 3,296 5,574 7,000 9,514 
			 Modernisation VA — — — — — 1,255 3,176 6,233 3,664 
			 NDS 1 2,006 — — — — — — — — 
			 NDS 2 — 3,468 — — — — — — — 
			 NDS 3 — — 7,538 — — — — — — 
			 NDS 4 — — — 13,376 — — — — — 
			 Outside toilets — 275 — — — — — — — 
			 Private finance initiative — — 13,400 — — — — — — 
			 School labs — — — 591 591 — — — — 
			 School security 373 408 429 429 301 258 — — — 
			 Schools access initiative 75 211 400 620 980 1,634 2,138 1,509 1,465 
			 Schools Renewal Challenge Fund — — — — — — — — — 
			 Secondary Learning Support Units — — — 290 314 389 — — — 
			 Seed challenge — — — 604 703 1,288 1,282 1,281 — 
			 Specialist schools — — — 100 100 500 — — — 
			 Staff workspace — — — — — 220 526 — — 
			 Supplementary credit approvals 2,021 454 1,149 365 454 — — — — 
			 Supplementary NDS for VA schools — — — 63 3 — — — — 
			 Targeted capital funding — — — — 2,093 2,689 — — — 
			 Targeted capital funding—VA — — — — — — 4,225 — — 
			 Voluntary aided school grant 3,425 5,031 3,597 3,735 3,633 4,371 — — — 
			 Total 13,288 16,957 35,179 38,021 29,778 46,470 62,607 36,499 17,356 
		
	
	(14) Further allocations to be announced.
	
		Table B: NDS allocations to schools in the South Ribble constituency -- £
		
			  School Project details Grant awarded 
		
		
			 1997–98 Balshaw's Church of England High School Refurbishment of technology areas and laboratories LEA-wide grant 2,006,000(15) 
			  St. Anne's Catholic Primary School, Leyland Schemes submitted by District Liaison Committees (cont) LEA-wide grant 2,006,000(15) 
			 1999–2000 Penwortham Priory High School Replacement of roof and floor and remedial drainage work  80,059 
			  Farington Primary School Boilers/heating Project including 17 schools 601,900(16) 
			  Lostock Hall Community Primary School Playground repairs Project including 25 schools 300,000(16) 
			  Woodlea Junior School Window repairs/replacement Project including 14 schools 516,000(16) 
			  Whitefield Primary School Playground repairs Project including 25 schools 300,000(16) 
			  Lever House Primary School Rewires Project including 18 schools 1,007,100(16) 
			  Penwortham Middleforth Church of England Primary School Playground repairs Project including 25 schools 300,000(16) 
			  Our Lady and St. Gerard's Roman Catholic Primary School, Lostock Hall Boilers/heating Project including 17 schools 601,900(16) 
			  Leyland St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School Rewires Project including 18 schools 1,007,100(16) 
			  Wellfield High School Window repairs/replacement Project including 14 schools 516,000(16) 
			  Wellfield High School Roof works Project including 13 schools 549,700(16) 
			  Penwortham Girls High School Roof works Project including 13 schools 549,700(16) 
			 2000–01 St. Catherine's RC Primary School Replacement of two classroom Portakabin  6,671 
			  Woodlea Junior School Playground repairs Project including 29 schools 270,090(16) 
			  Woodlea Junior School Replacement of boilers/heating systems Project including 36 schools 1,143,110(16) 
			  Worden High School Roof repairs/replacement Project including 11 schools 548,460(16) 
			  Penwortham Girls High School Roof repairs/replacement Project including 11 schools 548,460(16) 
		
	
	(15) For NDS 1 grant was allocated for Lancashire LEA-wide projects, part of which was used for work at each of two schools in the South Ribble constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.
	(16) Allocations shown are the totals for packages of projects within Lancashire LEA which included the schools shown that are in the South Ribble constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.

Sexual Health

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department is taking to ensure that young people receive clear and accurate information in schools to enable them to make informed choices about their sexual health; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Teaching about sexual health and safer sex are key elements of the Government's sexual health strategy and are covered by our Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) guidance, which was sent to all schools in July 2000. All maintained secondary schools have a statutory responsibility to teach SRE. Through SRE pupils learn about sexual health, contraception and the range of advice and support services which are available. Young people should be made aware of the risks of contracting sexually transmitted infections and know about prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In addition, we have made a new resource on 'Teaching and Learning about HIV' available to all schools.

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Stockton, South on the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps are being taken to reduce them.

David Miliband: Information on teacher vacancies is not available by constituency as it is collected at local education authority level. In January 2003, the latest information available, there were seven full-time teacher vacancies in Stockton-on-Tees local education authority.
	Like other areas, since 1997 Stockton-on-Tees has benefited from the initiatives that the Government have put in place to recruit and retain teachers and to increase the number of staff supporting them in schools. Since 1997, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in maintained schools in the Stockton-on-Tees LEA area has risen by 110, from 1,650 to 1,760 in 2003. Over the same period, the number of full-time equivalent school support staff in the area has grown by 340 from 460 to 800 in 2003.

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in Stockton South in (a) each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in the Stockton South constituency in January of each year' between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 90 
			 1998 90 
			 1999 100 
			 2000 120 
			 2001 160 
			 2002 110 
			 2003 150 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effects on schools of changes since 1997 in the level of investment in school sports in Stockton South.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged five-16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate.
	The Government is investing more than 1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of five-16 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
	The Department is providing 751,475 to support the delivery of a School Sport Partnership in the Stockton-on-Tees area. The partnership includes five secondary and 25 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Stockton-on-Tees LEA area with over 2.4 million specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities.

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Stockton, South achieved five or more GCSEs at Grade A* to C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(17) achieving five or more grades A* to C -- Percentage
		
			 Academic year Stockton, South England 
		
		
			 1997 42.9 45.1 
			 1998 44.0 46.3 
			 1999 43.6 47.9 
			 2000 45.9 49.2 
			 2001 49.8 50.0 
			 2002 48.6 51.6 
			 2003 51.8 52.9 
		
	
	(17) GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year ie 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Stockton, South deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards.

David Miliband: No schools in Stockton, South have been deemed to be failing since 1997.

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Stockton, South have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception.

David Miliband: The following table shows the number of children in Stockton, South benefiting from EiC, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.
	
		
			  Number of children Total EiC expenditure(18)() Spend per pupil () 
		
		
			 200001 8,196 574,495 70.09 
			 200102 8,219 1,148,283 139.71 
			 200203 8,238 1,700,191 206.38 
			 200304 8,295 2,585,332 311.67 
		
	
	(18) All funding figures supplied by Stockton Finance Office.
	The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 200203 is due to the extra funding provided through the Behaviour Improvement Programme and the increase in 200304 is due to the introduction of the Leadership Incentive Grant.

Schools (Stockton, South)

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much public funding money has been spent on repairing schools in Stockton South in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how much funding each school in Stockton South has received from the New Deal for Schools.

David Miliband: The majority of capital support is allocated to schools and local education authorities (LEAs) by formula, and they decide how to invest it in line with their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about capital investment at constituency level. Table A sets out the capital support given by the Government to Stockton LEA since 199798, in total and by programme, including devolved formula capital grants to each school. Table B shows the schools in the Stockton South constituency that benefited from investment through the New Deal for Schools (NDS) programme, which ran between 199798 and 200001.
	
		Table A: Stockton LEA capital allocations -- 000
		
			 Type 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 1 200506 1 
		
		
			 Assistance with AMPs   26   
			 Basic L C Vap 39 229 300   
			 Basic need 165 702 1,209 1,524 341 82 2,069 3,035 1,393 
			 City Learning Centres85 2,381 
			 Class size initiative  384 174 185 103 5
			 Condition 1,439 2,218 2,863   
			 Devolved formula1,383 1,118 1,709 2,662 2,233  
			 Energy  64
			 Modernisation (Primary)821  
			 Modernisation LEA668  
			 Modernisation LEA  769 1,318 1,336 1,887 
			 Modernisation VA  162 431 846 497 
			 NDS 1 531 
			 NDS 2  358
			 NDS 3   1,374   
			 NDS 42,704  
			 Nursery provision61  
			 Outside toilets  10
			 Pathfinder schools  61
			 Private finance initiative 6,400 
			 School labs145 145 
			 School security 52 65 65 64 45 39
			 Schools access initiative 13 69 100 140 224 288 426 316 311 
			 Seed challenge152 165 267 265 258  
			 Specialist schools   450   
			 Staff workspace  59 113   
			 Supplementary credit approvals 87 73 2,012 84 338 
			 Targeted capital funding  653 1,411 1,570  
			 Voluntary aided school grant 135 213 1,110 1,914 923 846
			 Total 983 1,938 6,520 7,541 13,661 7,387 11,858 11,083 4,088 
		
	
	(19) Further allocations to be announced.
	
		Table B: NDS allocations to schools in the Stockton South constituency -- 
		
			   School  Project details Grant awarded 
		
		
			 199798 Egglescliffe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Replacement of mobiles LEA-wide grant 531,000(20) 
			  Conyers School Replacement of mobiles LEA-wide grant 531,000(20) 
			  Ian Ramsey Church of England Aided Comprehensive School Improve IT suite LEA-wide grant 531,000(20) 
			 199899 Westlands School Hot water temperature controls to baths  1,464 
			  St. Mark's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, Stockton Hot water source controls  4,544 
			 19992000 St. Mark's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, Stockton Boiler plant replacement (single boiler installations)  39,200 
			  St. Cuthbert's RC Voluntary Aided Primary School Boiler plant replacement (single boiler installations)  47,040 
			  Preston Primary School Asbestos removal Project including 11 schools 430,846(21) 
			  Harewood Infant School Asbestos removal Project including 11 schools 430,846(21) 
			  The Links Primary School Boiler plant replacement (single boiler installation) Project including 10 schools 545,801(21) 
			  Oxbridge Lane Primary School Asbestos removal Project including 11 schools 430,846(21) 
			  Egglescliffe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Boiler plant replacement (single boiler installation) Project including 10 schools 545,801(21) 
			  St. Cuthbert's RC Voluntary Aided Primary School Boiler plant replacement (single boiler installation) Project including 10 schools 545,801(21) 
			  St. Mark's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, Stockton Boiler plant replacement (single boiler installation) Project including 10 schools 545,801(21) 
			 200001 Conyers School Replacement of 11 temporary classrooms  1,021,668 
			  St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School, Thornaby Replacement of asbestos roof tiles  16,430 
			  Preston Primary School Replacement of obsolete/leaking boilerplant and asbestos insulation Project including 10 schools 678,800(21) 
			  Christ The King RC Primary School Replacement of obsolete/leaking boilerplant and asbestos insulation Project including 10 schools 678,800(21) 
			  Egglescliffe School Replacement of obsolete/leaking boilerplant and asbestos insulation Project including 10 schools 678,800(21) 
			  Grangefield School Replacement of obsolete/leaking boilerplant and asbestos insulation Project including 10 schools 678,800(21) 
			  lan Ramsey Church of England Aided Comprehensive School Replacement of obsolete/leaking boilerplant and asbestos insulation Project including 10 schools 678,800(21) 
		
	
	(20) For NDS 1 grant was allocated for Stockton LEA-wide projects, part of which was used for work at each of three schools in the Stockton South constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.
	(21) Allocations shown are the totals for packages of projects within Stockton LEA which included the schools shown that are in the Stockton South constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.

Student Finance

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 51W, on student finance, if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with Scottish Ministers.

Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Deputy First Minister agreed that the Scottish Executive and the Department for Education and Skills would keep each other informed as they develop their policies on HE funding, and that the programme of Ministerial meetings on cross border issues would continue.

Student Grants

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the evidential basis is for the estimation that 30 per cent. of full-time students will receive full combined grant in 2006/07.

Alan Johnson: Our estimate that around 30 per cent. of students will be eligible for the full grant of 2,700 in 2006/07 has been produced using:
	a specially commissioned survey from a sample of LEAs providing details of the actual incomes of students used in the assessment for entitlement to student support in 2002/03;
	Family Resources Survey (FRS) data to estimate the effects of changes to the definition of income introduced in 2004/05;
	forecasts of future inflation rates
	estimates of future earnings growth;
	The estimate does not take into account possible future changes in the demand for higher education from different income groups.

Sustainable Development

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to promote the delivery of sustainable development within Government.

Stephen Twigg: My Department is implementing an Environmental Management System at each of its sites. Various initiatives are in place within DfES to promote sustainable development within Government, including publicity on the internet, our internal website and hard copy notices and posters in all buildings.
	In addition we operate a number of recycling schemes. All of our toner and printer cartridges and our spent fluorescent tubes and light bulbs are recycled and the revenue generated contributes to costs incurred. Other initiatives include recycling cans, paper, batteries and textiles and we are constantly reviewing the position to extend the range of items recycled.

Teachers

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant (a) head teacher, (b) deputy head teacher and (c) teacher posts there were in (i) primary, (ii) secondary, (iii) special and (iv) all schools, expressed as a percentage of the total number of each, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries. It shows deputy head teacher and classroom teacher vacancy rates in maintained nursery and primary, secondary and special schools by local education authority. Rates have not been provided for head and deputy head teachers in special schools because of the very small numbers involved. There were 10 head teacher vacancies in special schools in England in 2003 and 20 deputy head vacancies. For 2004 overall vacancy rates for head teachers were 0.5 per cent., deputy heads 0.8 per cent. and classroom teachers 0.7 per cent.. Overall vacancy rates by LEA will be published later in the year.

Teaching Assistants

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in South Ribble in (a) each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in South Ribble constituency in January of each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
	
		
			  
		
		
			 1997 70 
			 1998 70 
			 1999 90 
			 2000 90 
			 2001 120 
			 2002 100 
			 2003 200 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census.

Teaching Assistants

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in West Lancashire schools in each of the last seven years; and what the current figure is.

David Miliband: The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in the West Lancashire constituency in January of each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 140 
			 1998 150 
			 1999 160 
			 2000 180 
			 2001 220 
			 2002 180 
			 2003 300 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census.

University Students

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from Barnsley East and Mexborough are attending university; and how many of these students pay (a) no tuition fee and (b) a partial tuition fee.

Alan Johnson: In England and Wales students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition only if they can afford to do so.
	For entry in 2002, there were 776 applicants domiciled in Barnsley LEA who were accepted through UCAS to full-time first degree and HND courses at UK institutions.
	The number and percentages of students in England and Wales in academic year 200203 (latest year for which data are available) who have been assessed to make a nil or partial contribution towards the cost of their tuition is shown in the table:
	
		England and Wales: academic year 2002031
		
			  Student support scheme student numbers thousands(23) Student support scheme students Percentage(23) 
		
		
			 Nil contribution towards the cost of tuition from student/parents/spouse/ partner(24) 330 43 
			 Partial contribution towards the cost of tuition from student/parents/spouse/partner 116 15 
		
	
	(22) Provisional.
	(23) Contributions towards the cost of tuition are assessed by local education authorities in England and Wales for students normally domiciled in their area and studying in the UK.
	(24) Includes students on courses where the fee support was not subject to income-assessment (e.g. PGCE courses, and some other ITT courses; and designated courses at private institutions).
	Source:
	F503G survey of local education authorities.
	National level data are published annually in the Department's Statistical First Releases.
	Data are collected from the local education authorities (LEAs) to produce national estimates and the data collection exercise does not allow for the production of firm figures below this level, and therefore data by constituency or local education authority are not available.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

St. Helena

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the 26.3 million previously committed by the British Government towards the building of an airport on St. Helena and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: It was included, as a possible DFID contribution, in last year's international invitation for possible private sector participation in developing air access for St. Helena. I announced on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 1WS, that none of the responses offered a basis upon which, with DFID financial assistance as described in the invitation, DFID might enter negotiations. Instead, we are now investigating and costing all options to follow expected withdrawal of the present ship from service by around the turn of the decade, including possible development of air access through alternative arrangements. A specialist team will arrive on the island later this week to progress this work and to initiate geo-technical investigations on a possible airport site.

Africa

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what evaluation has been carried out of the value to developing countries in Africa of the (a) United States American Growth and Opportunity Act and (b) EU Everything But Arms Initiative.

Hilary Benn: A publication of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) entitled: Trade Preferences for LDCs: an early assessment of benefits and possible improvements reference UNCTAD/ITCD/TSB/2003/8, published in 2003, includes an early assessment of the United States American Growth and Opportunity Act.
	The Everything But Arms Initiative (EBA) is delivered through the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences arrangement (GSP). The GSP is subject to an annual reporting mechanism. The most recent annual report covering the period of 1 July 1999 to 31 December 2001 was produced by the European Commission on 6 June 2003. Given that the EBA initiative was introduced in March 2001, the analysis on EBA is limited in this report.
	There is also some analysis, albeit limited because of similar problems in collecting the most recent data, contained in the UNCTAD publication referred to above.

Aid Projects (Asia)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid projects his Department expects to develop in Asia during the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID's bilateral programmes in Asia are focused on helping countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Projected spend on bilateral programmes in Asia, excluding countries of the former Soviet Union and Iraq, are:
	
		DFID allocation by programme -- 000
		
			 South and East Asia and Pacific 200304 Estimated Outturns 200405 Plans 200506 Plans 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 72,000 75,000 75,000 
			 Bangladesh 65,000 100,000 100,000 
			 China 26,000 45,200 35,200 
			 India 197,000 250,000 280,000 
			 Nepal 26,000 35,000 47,000 
			 Pakistan 64,000 70,000 74,000 
			 Asia Other(25) 56,000 93,700 106,900 
			 Asia Directorate2,3 4,000 15,000 15,000 
			 Asia Performance Fund Reserve 4,000 13,100 51,900 
			 Total 514,000 697,000 785,000 
			 2003/04 Estimated
		
	
	(25) Includes country programmes for Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma
	(26) Includes 200304 movement in working capital for the division
	(27) Covers regional funds and programmes including the Pacific region
	Source:
	DFID Departmental Report 2004 (http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Pubs/files/dr2004 default.htm)
	DFID's published Country Assistance Plans (CAPs) give details of proposed activities in the larger bilateral country programmes. Copies are placed in the House of Commons library. Finalised CAPs for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Vietnam and draft CAPs for Burma and Nepal are available at: http://www. dfid.gov.uk/News/Consultations/files/caps.htm. CAPs for other recipients of significant bilateral aid in Asia are currently under preparation.

Children's Welfare

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the children's parliament in Malawi in influencing public policy there.

Hilary Benn: DFID has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of the children's parliament in Malawi in influencing public policy.
	In Malawi, DFID prioritises support for the National Assembly, particularly to enable parliamentary committees to fulfil their oversight function and to strengthen citizen's interaction with Parliament. Through membership of the Government of Malawi Task Force on Support for Parliament, DFID notes that UNICEF prioritises support for the children's parliament in Malawi.

Children's Welfare

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the contribution made by children to the improvement of sanitary practice in Bangladesh.

Hilary Benn: An estimated 110,000 children under five die each year from diarrhoeal disease in Bangladesh. In 1990 the figure was much higher at 260,000.
	There are a number of reasons for this improvement; access to improved water supplies increased from 94 per cent. to 97 per cent. and access to improved sanitation rose from 41 per cent. to 48 per cent. Improved hygiene behaviour also makes as important contribution but one which is more difficult to assess. One indicator is the use of soap or ash for hand washing after defecationsurveys suggest a current figure of 26 per cent. for Bangladesh.
	The individual contribution made by children in achieving the above improvements cannot be separated out. However, the DFID Bangladesh Water and Sanitation programme explicitly recognises their important role in promoting improvements in sanitary practice. For instance:
	(i) DFID's programme with UNICEF and the Bangladesh Department of Public Health Engineering includes a School Sanitation and Hygiene Education component, through which children are encouraged to monitor sanitary practices in their immediate neighbourhoods, and
	(ii) DFID has been supporting an NGO (PHULKI) through our programme with WaterAid, which works explicitly with the children of garment workers, using child-to-child approaches for hygiene promotion.

Commonwealth Development Corporation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the re-organisation of the Commonwealth Development Corporation has been completed.

Hilary Benn: The legal documents to establish the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC)'s new investment management company, Actis were signed on 2 April 2004. These will formalise the new arrangements that I advised Parliament about in my statement of 8 January 2004. However, there are a number of 'conditions precedent' that must be met before the documents can take legal effect. These are largely administrative measures and CDC and DFID staff are now working through with these. It is expected to complete them by the end of June. I shall make a further statement to Parliament at that time and I shall also be placing the relevant documents into the Library.

Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 199697 to 200405.

Hilary Benn: The following table shows recorded expenditure by DFID on entertainment for the years in question, to the nearest 000.
	
		
			   
		
		
			 199697 10,000 
			 199798 24,000 
			 199899 43,000 
			 19992000 62,000 
			 200001 48,000 
			 200102 55,000 
			 200203 82,000 
		
	
	In 200304 DFID introduced a new method of assessing administration costs, which had previously been recorded on programme budgets. This included entertainment expenditure previously incurred by overseas offices. The provisional figure for 200304 was 246,000 and the projected figure for 200405 is 261,000. These changes have increased transparency and will enable DFID to manage administrative costs more effectively, but they mean that the 200304 figures and 200405 projections are not comparable with earlier years.
	The upward trend in entertainment expenditure reflects DFID's increased focus on wider development issues, and the expansion in its representation overseas; with increased devolution to a growing number of country offices.
	All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.

Ghana

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department is supporting to improve literacy in Ghana.

Hilary Benn: DFID is preparing a new programme of 50 million over five years in support of the Government of Ghana's Education Strategic Plan (ESP). Increasing literacy is a key basic education target of the ESP. This programme follows DFID's five year 50 million Education Sector Support Programme, which similarly aimed to improve literacy levels.
	DFID also provided 200,000 between 2000 and 2003 towards the Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation Literacy Programme, which worked on adult literacy among 34 minority language groups.
	A recent survey has shown an improvement in literacy from 48 per cent. of Ghanaians aged 15 or above in 19978 to 53 per cent. in 2003.

Global Fund

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State forInternational Development what research his Department has conducted on (a) the amount of disbursements made by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2003 and (b) the amount of money actually spent by recipient governments; and if he will publish his findings.

Hilary Benn: As a partner and Board member of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, DFID does not conduct its own separate research on the amount of disbursements made by the Global Fund or on money spent by recipient governments. The Global Fund is a public and private partnership and DFID works collaboratively with other partners through the Board to ensure that the financial reporting systems of the Fund are strong and transparent.
	DFID is an active member of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Finance and Audit (MEFA) Committee of the Fund. Part of the mandate of this Committee is to review the Global Fund's performance, including areas such as financial audit and results-based disbursement.

Global Fund

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been pledged to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; how much has been disbursed by the Global Fund; and how much has been spent on administration costs in that period.

Hilary Benn: The total amount pledged to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is currently US$5.3 billion. Disbursements by the Global Fund currently total US$ 285 million.
	Administration costs are kept low and are subject to regular review by the Board. DFID expects these costs to decrease over time as disbursement accelerates. For 2002, they were US$12.8 million and for 2003 they were US$31.8 million. Costs for the first quarter of 2004 were US$10 million. Operating costs are expected to decline as grant expenditure increases. The Global Fund operates in a transparent way and informationincluding budgets for its operating expensescan be viewed on the Global Fund website at www.theglobalfund.org.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when in 2004 he estimates the Department's objective of securing relief of unsustainable debt for all heavily indebted poor countries will be achieved.

Hilary Benn: DFID's current Public Service Agreement with HM Treasury sets the target of working to ensure that three-quarters of all eligible Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) committed to poverty reduction receive irrevocable debt relief by 2006. DFID is on track to meet this target.
	While progress in implementing the HIPC Initiative has not been as rapid as previously projected, the number of countries reaching Completion Pointthe point at which irrevocable debt relief is grantedhas increased in recent months. Five countries have reached Completion Point since December 2003 and DFID expects a further five before the end of this year. This would bring the number of countries at Completion Point to 18 out of the 27 eligible countries that have already passed Decision Point. Of the remaining nine countries, it is estimated that all will reach Completion Point by end 2006.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many international aid workers have left the British controlled sector of Southern Iraq in the last month;
	(2)  how many international aid workers have left Iraq in the last month;
	(3)  how many international aid workers there were in the British controlled sector of Iraq on the latest date for which figures are available;
	(4)  how many international aid workers there were in Iraq on the latest date for which figures are available.

Hilary Benn: Comprehensive statistics are not available on the numbers of people working for donor agencies in Iraq, nor of their movements in and out of the country.
	In addition to the deployment of their own staff, many donors, including DFID, contract individuals and companies to work in Iraq on particular projects and programmes for specific periods of time. The number of people working for each donor in Iraq is likely to vary from week to week.
	We are aware that some people working on reconstruction in Iraq may have left the country over the last month as a result of increased security concerns, and others may be delaying their arrival pending a stabilisation of the situation.
	DFID temporarily delayed the deployment of some consultancy staff during April. However, no staff have been withdrawn, and essential workers took up or resumed their postings in late April.
	Over the next two months, DFID aims to reduce the   number of personnel seconded to the Coalition Provisional Authority as part of the process of handing over authority to an Iraqi Interim Government.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the level of unemployment in (a) Iraq and (b) the British-controlled sector of Iraq immediately before the start of the recent conflict;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the level of unemployment in the British-controlled sector of Iraq immediately after the cessation of hostilities in the recent conflict;
	(3)  what his estimate is of the current level of   unemployment in (a) Iraq and (b) the British controlled sector of Iraq;
	(4)  what the level of unemployment in Iraq was immediately after the cessation of hostilities in the recent conflict;
	(5)  what his estimate is of the level of (a) female unemployment, (b) male unemployment and (c) unemployment among workers under the age of 30 in (i) Iraq and (ii) the British-controlled sector of Iraq immediately after the end of hostilities in the recent conflict;
	(6)  what his estimate is of the level of unemployment in (a) Iraq and (b) the British-controlled sector of Iraq immediately before the start of the recent conflict for (i) males, (ii) females and (iii) workers under the age of 30;
	(7)  what his estimate is of the level of female unemployment in (a) Iraq and (b) the British-controlled sector of Iraq for workers under the age of 30;
	(8)  what his estimate is of the level of (a) male and (b) female unemployment in (i) the British controlled sector of Iraq and (ii) Iraq.

Hilary Benn: No official figures on the Iraqi labour   force exist, so only very broad estimates of unemployment are available. It is not possible to break these down accurately by age, gender or geographic region.
	Current estimates suggest that total unemployment levels now are broadly similar to those before the 2003 war. The United Nations and World Bank social and economic needs assessments, which were undertaken after the conflict last year, estimated that the unemployment rate before the 2003 war was around 30 per cent. Current unemployment rates are unofficially estimated at between 20 and 30 per cent. It is believed however that the rate may well be higher for those under 20-years-old.
	It is estimated that women make up only 20 to 25 per cent. of the workforce but figures are not available on the numbers of women seeking work, who would be classified as unemployed.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what proportion of international aid workers based in the British-controlled sector of Southern Iraq are Iraqi citizens;
	(2)  what proportion of international aid workers in Iraq are Iraqi citizens.

Hilary Benn: Comprehensive figures are not available on the nationalities of staff working for donor agencies in Iraq. For several agencies, such as United Nations bodies, the World Bank and some NGOs, only Iraqi national staff are working in Iraq at present. In other cases, such as DFID and USAID, non-Iraqi staff are also working in-country.
	DFID aims to increase, as far as practicable, the numbers of Iraqis working on our reconstruction programmes.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what the level of inflation is in Iraq;
	(2)  what the level of inflation was in Iraq immediately before the start of the recent conflict.

Hilary Benn: The pre-2003 conflict inflation rate is estimated to have been between 20 and 30 per cent. although the data is not considered to be very reliable. The Coalition Provisional Authority is working on the development of sound methodologies for measuring inflation in Iraq's post-Saddam era.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what proportion of Iraqi households have access to running water;
	(2)  what proportion of Iraqi households in the British-controlled sector of Iraq currently have access to (a) running water and (b) electricity;
	(3)  what proportion of Iraqi households in (a) Iraq and (b) the British controlled sector of Iraq had access to (i) running water and (ii) electricity immediately before the start of the recent conflict.

Hilary Benn: Until the Gulf War in 1991 safe water was accessible to over 95 per cent. of the urban and 75 per cent. of the rural population of Iraq. The last reliable pre-conflict figures are for the year 2000 when urban and rural coverage had dropped to 92 per cent. and 46 per cent. respectively. Deterioration of the system had been particularly severe in the south, including Basra, due to the discriminatory policies of the former regime.
	Access to safe water deteriorated further as a result of the conflict in 2003 and the subsequent looting. Estimates suggest that the immediate post-conflict coverage was 60 per cent. for urban and 30 per cent. for rural populations.
	Considerable work has taken place since the end of the conflict to improve the quantity, quality and reliability of water supplies. There are no reliable statistics of current coverage, but informal estimates by the Coalition Provisional Authority (South) indicate that, in the south, coverage has increased by 1015 per cent. since May 2003. By the summer of 2004, water quality and volume in Basra is expected to have exceeded pre-conflict levels.
	The electricity supply in Iraq is measured by total power generated and the number of hours per day for which power is available. Recent reports by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) record that average electricity production is in the region of 4,000 megawatts (MW), approximately the same as before the 2003 conflict. A number of generating units are undergoing maintenance and should be back in service by the summer peak demand period. The CPA power generation target for 1 June 2004 is 6,000 MW, significantly above the pre-conflict levels.
	The most recent figures for the availability of power by governorate are as follows:
	
		
			  Average hours of power available per day as of 1 April 2004   Megawatts 
		
		
			 Southern Governorates under British Control 
			 Multanna 18 59 
			 Basrah 24 258 
			 Dhi Qar 20 103 
			 Maysan 20 64 
			 Najaf 13 88 
			
			 Other Governorates under British Control 
			 Najaf 13 88 
			 Qadisiyah 14 60 
			 Wasit 11 86 
			 Karbala 19 84 
			 Babil 15 100 
			 Anbar 15 175 
			 Salah Ad Din 15 210 
			 Baghdad 17 1,155 
			 Dyala 15 98 
			 Naynawa 15 360 
			 Dahok 14 90 
			 Arbil 16  
			 Tamim 16 134 
			 Sulamaniyah 16

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total amount of investment has been in the Iraqi (a) public, (b) private and (c) voluntary sector, over the past year.

Hilary Benn: Statistics are not available on aggregate levels of investment by sector in Iraq.

Maldives

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid has been provided by (a) the UK and (b) the EU to the Maldives Government in each of the last three years.

Hilary Benn: The information is as follows:
	(a) UK bilateral assistance to the Maldives totalled 286,000 in 200001, 83,000 in 200102 and 195,000 in 200203. Data for 200304 is not available yet for publication. UK assistance is part of the Small Grants Scheme, administered locally by the High Commission on behalf of DFID for poverty alleviation. Funds go mainly to small projects and institutions.
	(b) The European Union has given no aid to the Maldives government in 2000 and 2001. Data for 2002 and 2003 are not yet published.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of (a) Ordinary Written Questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling and (b) Questions for written answer on a named day received a substantive answer on that day in (a) the 200203 parliamentary session and (b) this parliamentary session, broken down by month.

Hilary Benn: We are unable to provide information in the format requested without incurring disproportionate cost. DFID endeavours to respond to all Parliamentary Questions within deadlines where possible. I refer the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross to the statement made by the Leader of the House on 3 March 2004, Official Report, column 907W.

Poverty Reduction

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list in ascending order of progress the 16 key countries in Sub-Saharan Africa for which the Millennium Development Goal on poverty reduction was set.

Hilary Benn: The PSA target for poverty reduction relates to the entire region of Sub-Saharan Africa and is not based on the 16 key countries because comparable data over time are not available at the country level. The latest figures show that the percentage of the population below $1 a day 1 in Sub-Saharan Africa is 49 per cent. (compared to a 1990 figure of 47.4 per cent.). The latest comparable figures for nine of our 16 key countries are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of population below $1 a day(28) 
		
		
			 South Africa 2 
			 Kenya 23.0 
			 Mozambique 37.9 
			 Malawi 41.7 
			 Ghana 44.8 
			 Zambia 63.7 
			 Nigeria 70.2 
			 Ethiopia 81.9 
			 Uganda 82.2 
			 Congo, DR (29) 
			 Lesotho (29) 
			 Rwanda (29) 
			 Sierra Leone (29) 
			 Sudan (29) 
			 Tanzania (29) 
			 Zimbabwe (29) 
			 Sub-Saharan Africa 49.0 
		
	
	(28) The percentage of the population living below the commonly used international $1 a day standard, measured in 1993 international prices and adjusted for local currency using purchasing power parities.
	(29) Not available.

Primary Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had on improving access to primary education; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Discussion with international agencies, partner governments and civil society on improving access to primary education is a continuing priority. Recent examples include strengthening the Fast Track Initiative led by the World Bank; improving girl's education in collaboration with UNICEF in support of the 2005 gender equity MDG target; participating in the Global Campaign for Education for All (GCE), led by British NGOs, in which 460 MPs, and children's representatives took part; and providing education guidance for the Africa Commission.
	Both the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I have also recently taken part in Parliamentary discussionsa Children's Parliament at Central Hall and an MPs' meeting, respectivelyas part of the GCE Week of Action in April to discuss the importance of education for all children.
	Progress has been made in many countries with global enrolment in primary education increasing from 596 million in 1990 to 648 million children in 2000. However, with over 100 million still out of school, much still remains to be done.

Primary Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in providing primary education for girls in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Please accept my apologies for a slight error contained in the previous reply published on 31 March 2004, Official Report, column 1429W.
	Pursuant to that reply, the EFA Global Monitoring Report 200304 shows that the net enrolment ratio (NER) for girls' primary enrolment in developing countries has increased from 73.5 per cent. in 1990, to 78.9 per cent. in 2000. The ratio between girls and boys' enrolment rates, has also improved from 0.86 in 1990 to 0.93 in 2000 for primary education.
	However, much still remains to be done. DFID is planning to increase its investment in primary education to 1 billion over the next four years.

Sustainable Development

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to promote the delivery of sustainable development within Government.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development works with other departments to assist in the delivery of Sustainable Development (SD).
	The World Summit on Sustainable Development's Plan of Implementation provides the international framework for the promotion of sustainable development. The lead UK departments are DFID, DTI, FCO and Defra (coordinator), all represented on the Ministerial SD Task Force. DFID leads in four areas,
	Water and sanitation
	Integrating environment into poverty reduction strategies
	Access to clean energy
	Finance (volume and effectiveness of aidjoint lead with Treasury)
	The UN Commission on Sustainable Development tracks progress on United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)/World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) follow-up (including MDGs). It works to a two-year cycleprogress review years followed by policy development years. The 20045 biennium covers (1) water and sanitation, (2) human settlements, and (3) Type 2 partnerships. DFID officials have been involved in the CSD 12 meetings just concluded (1/05/04).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Commission for Racial Equality

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely impact on staffing levels of changes to the budget of the Commission for Racial Equality.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office, like other public sector bodies, is seeking to improve Value for Money. As part of this, it has set itself a target to generate significant savings in administration costs, for redirection to support front line services, over the next three years.
	We have agreed with Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) that, following a successful exercise last year to reduce its budget deficit, its administration costs should be reduced this year by 4.5 per cent., the same percentage as the Home Office. This will have some effect on staffing levels, which the CRE are assessing, but will not effect work to deliver key objectives.

CCTV

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice is given by his Department on the provision and funding of CCTV in urban areas; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Since 1997, the Home Office has provided a variety of funding, which has been used to establish and run CCTV schemes in large and small urban areas, as well as residential and rural locations. Under the Crime Reduction Programme CCTV initiative, which ended in 2003, 170 million was invested in 684 CCTV schemes.
	Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships have funding of 72.3 million in 200304 and 74 million in 200405 available for crime reduction initiatives under the Building Safer Communities Fund, which could include CCTV, and 50 million per annum to police BCUs in 200304 and 200405.

Anti-Social Behaviour Act

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of powers contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

David Blunkett: The majority of the powers in the Ant-Social Behaviour Act 2003 have now been commenced.
	This is the biggest single package of measures in   tackling anti-social behaviour. They have been introduced after widespread consultation with communities and practitioners. The new powers are part of the Government's Together Campaign to help local people and agencies tackle the menace of yob behaviour.

Migration (EU Accession States)

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential impact of migration from EU accession states on public services in the UK after 1 May.

Des Browne: The measures that we have taken to regulate the UK labour market and prevent access to benefits and housing by nationals of the accession countries who are not in work, should mean that nationals of those countries coming to the United Kingdom are likely, as a group, to place relatively low demands on key public services. They will also, of course, be contributing like everyone else to the costs of those services by the taxes they pay.

Police Recruitment

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on police recruitment policy.

Fiona Mactaggart: Our general policy is to ensure that our national recruitment standards programme attracts recruits in sufficient number and of the right quality. In particular, our policy is to encourage more ethnic minority, graduate and female applicants to the Police Service and ensure that police officer numbers do not fall below current record levels.
	Recruitment policy is drawn up in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities.

Sex Offenders

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement onthe resettlement of sex offenders within the community.

Paul Goggins: Those who receive a prison sentence of 12 months or more are supervised by the National Probation Service on their release from custody. Those who are assessed as the highest risk are supervised under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. The provision of stable accommodation is a major factor in the resettlement of offenders and approved probation and bail hostels have a key role to play.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Paul Goggins: Serious organised crime poses a substantial and sophisticated threat to the UK. The Serious Organised Crime Agency will provide an effective response by reducing organisational boundaries, linking intelligence and operations, and providing a single point of contact for all matters related to such crimes.

Persistent Arsonists

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the current aftercare of persistent arsonists; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements we established in 2001 have provided the means by which all agencies involved in protecting the public from offendersincluding persistent arsonistscan co-ordinate their efforts and provide a much closer supervision of high-risk offenders.
	The OPDM-led Arson Control Forum (established in April 2001) provides the strategic direction of the national fight against arson. The forum has also invested a total of 9.3 million in local arson prevention over three years.
	We will also be identifying young people with targeted measures before they become involved in offending as part of our new Prolific and Priority Offender Strategy.

Terrorism (Mental Illness)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take in respect of the arrangements for individuals suspected of having a terrorist connection or intent who may be deemed to be suffering from mental illness.

David Blunkett: The prisons where those suspected of terrorist connections or intent are held have good medical facilities providing 24-hour cover. In addition, prisons have access to relevant hospitals, including secure hospitals, where referral is appropriate on medical grounds. Provisions therefore exist to deal with any mental or other health problems regardless of the reasons for detention.
	Where an individual is not detained in prison he will be treated within the national health system.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to build up local expertise in measures to tackle anti-social behaviour.

David Blunkett: Tackling anti-social behaviour is a key priority for the Government. That is why we have launched the Together Campaign, ensuring local practitioners gain real expertise in tackling anti-social behaviour.
	A key part of the Together Campaign is the Together Academy and Actionline. The academies are designed to train front-line workers in the use of new and existing powers. In total there were 10 events held during March 2004 across England and Wales, training just over 2,000 academy graduates.
	The Actionline ensures new and existing powers and best practice are used and understood. There have been over 1,000 since March.
	The campaign will help improve the response to tackling anti-social behaviour by placing the focus within the heart of our communities and providing them with the opportunity to work together and also the tools to take action to tackle anti-social behaviour.
	We have provided funding for every crime and disorder partnership across England and Wales and introduced specialist anti-social behaviour prosecutors to develop local expertise.

Criminal Justice Interventions Programme

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on extending the criminal justice interventions programme.

Caroline Flint: Criminal Justice Interventions Programme (CJIP) was successfully introduced into 30 areas with the highest levels of acquisitive crime in April 2003. The full programmewhich includes drug testing on charge, arrest referral and through care and aftercare packageshas been expanded to a further 36 areas in April 2004. In the CJIP areas, waiting times for treatment have fallen significantly over the past year and the numbers starting treatment increased by 47 per cent.

Alcohol-related Violence

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what further action he proposes to reduce alcohol-related violence.

David Blunkett: In March the Government launched the national alcohol harm reduction strategy for England. We intend to work together with all our stakeholders including the alcohol industry to implement all the recommendations in the strategy.
	At the end of April, I announced a clampdown to be led by Paul Evans, the former Police Chief, who was so successful in achieving results in Massachusetts.
	This will be a concerted enforcement campaign in the early summer to tackle under age drinking and selling alcohol to those already drunk. We want to rid our town centres of late night alcohol related violence. We will also work closely with local authorities, licencees and retailers to ensure that the full powers of the law are used effectively.

Advertising Campaigns

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated cost of the current police advertising campaign warning of the dangers of terrorism is; and from which budget that cost is being met.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 31 March 2004
	There are currently two publicity campaigns that are being run warning of the danger of terrorism. One is the Life Savers Campaign and the other is the Who owns this Bag? campaign. The total cost of these campaigns is estimated at 355,500 and is being met jointly by the Metropolitan Police Service, the City of London Police, the British Transport Police, Transport for London and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Ammonium Nitrate

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had on the   security implications of the commercial sale of ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

Hazel Blears: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Elliot Morley) on 28 April 2004, Official Report, column 1002W.

Criminal Record Checks

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to charge charities for criminal record checks.

Hazel Blears: The Criminal Records Bureau charges a fee for all Disclosures, except that Disclosures are issued free in the case of volunteers. We have no plans to charge volunteers.

Departmental Computers

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to update computer (a) hardware and (b) software standard packages used in his Department.

Fiona Mactaggart: In line with Government procurement policy most Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the Home Office is now delivered through service contracts which include a requirement to update both software and hardware to ensure that technologies are kept up to date and do not reach end of usable life. While there are major projects managing step changes of both software and hardware there is also ongoing work to ensure that both are up to date and relevant to the business use the ICT is being put to. The extent to which either is fully up to date depends on the relevance of up to date technologies to Government business requirements. All ICT investments need also to pass the test of best value and be subject to appropriate investment justification.
	The following table illustrates updates to software and hardware planned or under consideration.
	
		
			 Home Office area Updates planned or under consideration 
		
		
			 Core Home Office and parts of Immigration and Nationality Directorate On going programme of server infrastructure, desktop hardware and software refreshment underway, affecting all core Home Office users and approximately 7,000 IND users. 
			 Immigration and Nationality The current ICT service provider contract for the IND caseworking system expires shortly. Competitive tendering process for ongoing ICT service provision is in hand. An upgrade of network, desktop and server hardware and software are planned as part of contract. 
			 National Offender ManagementPrisons Service Infrastructure rollout of PC's and telephones has completed. Service contract has a requirement for upgrade to hardware and software on two more occasions during the contract lifecycle. 
			 National Offender ManagementProbation Service An ongoing programme upgrading servers, desktops and printers across the estate is underway. Latest versions of Microsoft Windows will be deployed on desktops. 
			 United Kingdom Passport Service Consideration underway for moving networks away Windows NT and for desktop refreshment replacing current ICT before end of useful life.

Departmental Procurement Policy (Sea Bass)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his Department's policy to source sea bass used in catering outlets for which his Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office does not serve sea bass in any of the catering outlets for which it is responsible. Should this position change the Home Office would follow Department for Environment, Foods and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) policy, who are the lead Department on fisheries issues, on sourcing sea bass as follows:
	Defra supports the sourcing of sea bass from sustainable fisheries and handlining, as a relatively low impact method of fishing, can play a part in ensuring fisheries remain sustainable. However, the last report in 2003 by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas on sea bass advised that the level of exploitation of the stock at that time was sustainable and did not recommend closure of the offshore pair trawl fishery. There are currently no restrictions at a UK or Community level on the method of fishing that can be used to target bass. In addition, to address the dolphin bycatch problem associated with the pair trawl fishery, Defra-funded trials of a separate grid device to reduce dolphin bycatch are currently taking place, with the co-operation of the fishing industry.
	In these circumstances, Defra's policy is not to recommend a specific source of supply for sea bass at this stage.

Drugs

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated level of drugs-driven crime for the UK was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Recorded crime figures, which are used to measure trends in crime, include statistics on drugs offences, such as possession, and on property crimes, such as burglary, but do not record whether the latter are related to an offender's drug habits. There are therefore no figures currently available for levels of drug-driven crime over the last five years.
	The Home Office sponsored New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (NEW-ADAM) survey, which involved interviewing and drug testing those arrested by the police, provides an insight into the proportion of crimes that are drug related. However, these figures are not nationally representative.
	Analysis of the data from the first eight sites in the survey, collected during 19992000, showed that 65 per cent. of arrestees tested positive for one or more illegal drug, with up to 29 per cent. testing positive for opiates (including heroin) and/or cocaine (including crack). Those arrestees reporting no drug use in the year before this study reported an average of 46 acquisitive crimes compared to 432 among heroin and/or cocaine/crack users.

Identity Cards

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has collated on countries which have suffered terrorism since 1986 and which, while suffering from terrorism, used identity cards; and which of these countries used cards with biometric data.

David Blunkett: holding answer 29 April 2004
	Unfortunately, the information requested is not available. Neither the Home Office nor the Foreign Office have records on terrorist incidents which date back to 1986.
	The Government has made it clear that the key to an effective identity card scheme is the security of the issuing process and rigorous and consistent procedures for using the card, together with the inclusion of biometrics stored on a central database.
	This is where the proposals for a UK identity card scheme differ from card schemes in many other countries which do not have the kind of biometric security that is proposed for the UK scheme.
	The Government believes that a secure identity card scheme would disrupt the use of false identities by terrorist organisations, for example in the money laundering and organised crime, which support terrorist activities.
	As I set out in my evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 4 May 2004, this is an assessment shared by the Director General of the Security Service and indeed also by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Internet Watch Foundation

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what analysis he has undertaken of the Internet Watch Foundation's Annual Report 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: We welcome the Annual Report of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) 2003, which was published in March 2004, and congratulate the IWF on their achievements.
	The report shows a continued increase in the number of reports made to the IWF, to just under 20,000 in 2003. The report also highlights the fact that only 1 per cent. of illegal content identified by IWF in 2003 was hosted in the UK: this represents a significant improvement from 18 per cent. in 1997, and demonstrates the willingness of UK industry to work effectively to remove illegal content. These figures also demonstrate the continuing need for international co-operation to deal with illegal content on the internet: the report shows that the IWF themselves have active partnerships with hotlines and other agencies abroad, and support the UK police in their efforts to encourage such co-operation.
	Overall, the report clearly shows the value of a co-operative approach involving a wide variety of partners in combating child pornography on the Internet and other illegal content. It shows a welcome increase in the number and range of companies supporting the IWF, and particularly the involvement of companies from sectors not previously engaged with the IWF. The involvement of such groups as mobile telecommunications providers, search engines and the finance industry in discussions with the IWF and others to reduce access to illegal content is further demonstration of the value of this approach.

Prisons

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessments of (a) Private Finance Initiative and (b) market testing have been carried out by the Prison Service since January 2000; who carried out the work; and what the main findings were.

Paul Goggins: In late 2000 the Prison Service commissioned Patrick Carter, then a non-executive director of the Strategy Board for Correctional Services, to consider how best to develop the contribution of the private sector, particularly the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), to achieving the objectives of the Prison Service. Mr. Carter reported in January 2001. The main findings relevant to the question were that past market tests demonstrated beyond doubt the value of the competitive process in driving down costs and improving performance in public sector prisons, that PFI had proved successful in attracting capital investment and delivering high quality prisons and that competition should continue. Ministers welcomed the report.

Security Services

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to provide more information to the public on the protection work done by the security services.

David Blunkett: The Security Service (MI5) has a long standing role and depth of experience in providing protective security advice to Government and those sectors of the business community critical to the national infrastructure. The service has recently expanded its work in this area into a new structure, the National Security Advice Centre (NSAC). As part of the expansion, the service launched its upgrade website (www.mi5.gov.uk) on 30 April. This provides a substantial body of material offering practical advice on sensible security precautions for business organisations and anyone with responsibility for the safety of others. Its purpose is to put the terrorist threat into context and set out sensible security precautions. The website is publicly accessible and will be updated regularly.
	The website complements information for the public on the Home Office, UK Resilience, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Metropolitan Police sites. It represents a further step forward in the drive to put more information about the terrorist threat in the public domain. Advice on protection against electronic attack will remain the responsibility of the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) (www.niscc.gov.uk).

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Security Threat (Mox Plutonium)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she has initiated a review of the security of the sea transport of Mox plutonium fuels in response to the heightened international threat from terrorism.

Stephen Timms: Any such future shipment will be carried out in accordance with the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003, which are administered and enforced by The Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). OCNS will not allow a shipment to proceed until all necessary security measures, commensurate with the threat pertaining at the time, are in place. It is Government policy not to disclose details of these security arrangements.

Berkeley Nuclear Research Laboratories

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what physical protection measures exist at   the Berkeley nuclear research laboratories in Gloucestershire against the accidental or deliberate crash of an aircraft onto the site; and whether these have been enhanced since 2002.

Stephen Timms: The UK's civil nuclear sites apply stringent security measures regulated by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS), the security regulator. The security regulator works closely with the Health and Safety Executive, the safety regulator, which provides advice on the safety implications of events, including external hazards such as plane crashes, at nuclear installations. Security at nuclear sites is kept under regular review in the light of the prevailing threat and has been significantly enhanced since the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001. It is Government policy not to disclose details of these measures which could potentially be of use to terrorists.

Businesses

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many businesses have started up in Wigan since 1997;
	(2)  how many new businesses have been established in Wigan since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 500 in Wigan Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Wigan), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 1,900 business start-ups in Wigan Local Authority in 2003. Data for Local Authorities are not available for before 2003.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Wigan Local Authority (which includes the constituency of Wigan) are shown below for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in Autumn 2004.
	
		VAT Registrations: 19972002
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Wigan 640 635 620 670 580 630 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and de-registrations 19942002, Small Business Service

Businesses

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Sittingbourne and Sheppey since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Enterprise Grants of more than 391,000 and Research and Development Grants of more than 587,000 have been awarded to SME's in Sittingbourne and Sheppey since 1997. In addition, an application for a Freight Facilities grant (to enable businesses to transport their goods by means other than by road) resulted in a company receiving more that 403,000.
	The total number of businesses in Swale is currently 3,828. Penetration of the business population by Business Link Kent has increased fourfold since 1997. The number of unique businesses that have been assisted by the Business Link has risen from 9 per cent. in 199798 to 36 per cent. in 200304.
	Around 60 businesses have been recognised and 52 committed to Investors in People (KP) during the period as a result of an intervention with Business Link Kent.
	In the past two years, a number of specific European funded programmes have significantly assisted 28 companies in Sittingbourne and Sheppey by providing Mentors who have undertaken various projects in the companies to enable them to develop their business.
	Women Entrepreneurs in Swale were targeted in a programme during 200102, 128 women attended and 26 new businesses started as a result.

Coalminers' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many respiratory test centres have been paid by her Department for medical assessment for the coalminers' compensation scheme; by whom they are run; and what Government payments they have received.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 5 May 2004
	At present, the Department's respiratory disease medical providers are Atos Origin who are currently responsible for 29 test centres and two mobile test centres. The total cost to the Department for the provision of the medical assessment process since 1999 is 146 million.

Coalminers' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of claimants have received (a) interim payments and (b) full and final settlements of the claims registered by the top 10 solicitors, determined by number of claims lodged, for respiratory disease and vibration white finger under the coalminers' compensation scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 5 May 2004
	As of 4 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Top 10 Solicitors(30) (31)Percentage of Claimants who have received an Interim payment (32)Percentage of Claimants who have received a full and final settlement 
		
		
			 Beresfords Solicitors 0.46 7.97 
			 Thompsons 19.13 29.73 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 14.17 32.08 
			 Raleys Solicitors 12.08 28.40 
			 Browell Smith  Co. 13.10 22.88 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 8.82 24.69 
			 Avalon 0.27 1.57 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 7.66 30.27 
			 Watson Burton 8.19 30.41 
			 Barber  Co. 0.06 4.23 
		
	
	(30) Top 10 Solicitors are in descending order and based on the number of claims received
	(31) Total number of claimants who have received an interim
	(32) Total number of settlements include claims settled by denial/withdrawal
	A very large number of claims for respiratory disease have been registered in the last six months and will not yet have been through to the stage of a possible payment.

Coalminers' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many privately funded medical assessments have been received under the coalminers' compensation scheme where the claimant has rejected the assessments paid for by the Government under the scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The Department's Contractors do not record whether claimants have privately funded their own medical assessment.

Coalminers' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many different claims handling agreements were signed by Government under the coalminers' compensation scheme; with whom; by whom and when.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The Claims Handling Agreements (CHA) for respiratory disease and Vibration White Finger were negotiated with the claimants' solicitors. Separate CHAs were negotiated with the Union of Democratic Miners (UDM), the only difference being costs which are lower.
	The agreements are:
	Respiratory disease CHAs
	England and Walessigned in September 1999
	ScotlandJune 2000
	Australia and New ZealandJanuary 2003
	UDMNovember 1999
	VWF CHAs:
	England and WalesAll signed in January 1999
	Scotland
	UDM

Coalminers' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amount is budgeted by Government for paying solicitors under the miners' compensation scheme for (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The figures according to the forecast at the end of 2003 are:
	
		 million
		
			 Financial year COPD VWF 
		
		
			 200304 126.20 21.56 
			 200405 154.28 38.11 
			 200506 181.50 23.30 
		
	
	The forecasts will be revisited in the light of the number of claims now received in the respiratory disease scheme.
	Payments made to solicitors will of course depend on the volume of cases processed and offers accepted.

Miners' Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been registered under the coalminers' compensation scheme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger by Beresfords Solicitors in each year since the scheme began to the latest date for which figures are available.

Nigel Griffiths: As of 7 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
	
		
			  COPD VWF 
		
		
			 1995 0 5 
			 1996 17 23 
			 1997 4 29 
			 1998 120 45 
			 1999 373 413 
			 2000 2,697 4,270 
			 2001 1,872 1,196 
			 2002 6,788 5,317 
			 2003 50,914 347 
			 2004 16,886 0 
			 Total 79,671 11,648 
		
	
	Note:
	The COPD claim receipts are those claims that are fully registered, i.e. exclude partially registered claims (website claims yet to be fully registered on ICMS due to a submission error during input) and claims in the holding policy (pool of claims accepted with minimum data, awaiting further information to permit cross referencing and duplicate checks prior to full registration).

Miners' Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average final settlement for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger was for the top 10 solicitors as determined by fees charged to her Department under the miners' compensation scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: As of 6 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
	
		
			  Top 10 Solicitors 1 (34)Average full and final settlement () 
		
		
			 Thompsons 9,187 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 9,390 
			 Raleys Solicitors 8,683 
			 Browell Smith and Co. 8,175 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 4,373 
			 Graysons 4,420 
			 Beresfords Solicitors 1,679 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 4,532 
			 Watson Burton 4,851 
			 Towells Solicitors 8,581 
		
	
	(33) 'Top 10' solicitors are in descending order and based on solicitors costs received.
	(34) Average full and final settlements include claims denied/withdrawn.

Miners' Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which 10 solicitors had the most new claims lodged under the miners' compensation scheme in 2004.

Nigel Griffiths: As at 6 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Top 10 Solicitors(35) Claim Receipts in 2004 2 
		
		
			 Raleys Solicitors 19,890 
			 Beresfords Solicitors 16,886 
			 Avalon 13,797 
			 Browell Smith  Co. 13,363 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 13,180 
			 Thompsons 12,820 
			 Delta Legal 6,818 
			 Corries 4,750 
			 AMS Law 4,697 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 4,145 
		
	
	(35) 'Top 10' solicitors are in descending order and based on the number of claims received.
	(36) Claim receipts are those claims that are fully registered. These figures exclude claims registered partially on the website (yet to be fully registered within ICMS due to a submission error during input) and claims held within the holding policy (pool of claims accepted with minimum data, awaiting further information to permit cross referencing and duplicate checks prior to full registration).

Departmental Annual Report

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the grant-in-aid to countries of the former Soviet Union in respect of nuclear legacy programmes mentioned at paragraphs 16.18 to 16.21 of her Department's Annual Report, Cm 6216, has been (a) used and (b) earmarked for future use to help deal with the surplus military plutonium stockpile in Russia.

Stephen Timms: 70 million over 10 years is allocated to help deal with the disposition of surplus Russian military plutonium. The precise details of the disposition programme have not yet been agreed between Russia and the US and, as a result, none of the UK allocation has so far been spent. Consideration is therefore being given to the use of these funds to assist in closing down the three remaining plutonium-producing reactors in Russia.

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the production of her Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Patricia Hewitt: The cost incurred by the Department for design and artwork of the latest Departmental Report (April 2004) was approximately 9,036. This figure includes the costs incurred in placing an electronic version of the report on the Departmental website. Other costs of printing and publication were met directly by the publisher, The Stationery Office Limited (TSO), and did not fall to the Government. TSO recoups these costs through sales and uses its commercial judgment as to the number of copies printed. The latest departmental report was only published on 28 April 2004 and 469 copies were sold at the cover price (32) by TSO or through its accredited agents and other booksellers within the first week.
	The Department is in the process of circulating some 430 complimentary copies to Ministers, Opposition Front Bench spokesmen, Select Committee Members and staff, the Parliamentary Libraries, DTI officials and external Board Members (including in agencies and NDPBs), officials in other Government Departments and journalists.

Departmental Procurement (Sea Bass)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her Department's policy to source all sea bass used in catering outlets for which her Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers.

Patricia Hewitt: DTI follows the guidance issued by Defra on this issue. Defra supports the sourcing of sea bass from sustainable fisheries and handlining as both are relatively low impact methods of fishing.

Departmental Publications

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the newspapers, magazines and periodicals her Department (a) produces and (b) funds, stating (i) the title and subject matter, (ii) the cost to her Department in 200304, (iii) the number produced, (iv) the readership and (v) the cost per publication.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department does not hold this detailed information centrally. To provide this information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Disconnections (Utilities)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the burden of proof in the warrants process for disconnection; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  when she next expects to meet the Chief Executive of Ofgem to discuss disconnections to residential customers.

Stephen Timms: The DTI has discussed, and will continue to discuss as appropriate, disconnections matters with Ofgem. With DTFs encouragement, Ofgem has been in discussion with gas and electricity suppliers about the arrangements governing disconnections, particularly for vulnerable customers. Ofgem has now issued an industry consultation paper that sets out proposed revisions to, and clarification of, those arrangements. The arrangements governing the warrants process are set out in the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended. If a supplier wishes to disconnect, it must give the customer two days' notice of its intention to visit the premises. It has the right of entry to disconnect, but, if the customer is not at home or refuses entry, it may only exercise this right after it has obtained a warrant from a court. The court may require evidence of the debt, and of the supplier's efforts to recover that debt. The customer should be advised when and where the supplier will apply for a warrant, and can defend the application.

Equal Opportunities Commission

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the reduction in the planned growth budget for the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 29 April 2004
	My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has rightly set targets for all government departments to achieve spending efficiencies.
	My Department, like others, seeks to deliver its demanding objectives as efficiently as possible. I set similarly high standards for our Agencies and non-departmental public bodies, including the Equal Opportunities Commission. I have therefore asked the EOC to make a reduction in its budget for 200506 and 200607. I am confident that the EOC will meet the challenge of reducing its operational costs while continuing its excellent work of promoting gender equality in 21st century Britain.

Fathers Direct Conference

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the date was of the press release issued by the Institute of Directors making reference to women of childbearing age referred to in her speech of 5 April at the Fathers Direct conference; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The press release issued by the Institute of Directors (IoD), while Ruth Lea was Head of Policy Unit, around the time of the introduction of the new work and parent laws that I referred to was dated 3 April 2003. In summarising the views expressed by the IoD regarding the impact on women of childbearing age I also drew on other press releases issued which criticised the steps the Government have made to increase the provision of family-friendly policies. These were issued on 17 April 2001 and 4 March 2002.
	I used my speech to highlight the initial evidence on the impact of the flexible working legislation is showing that many parents and employers are taking advantage of flexible working to both their benefit. Since the law was introduced almost 800,000 parents of children under six have had their request for flexible working either fully or partly accepted and the proportion of requests being refused has reduced by almost a half.

Fuel Cell Technologies

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and   Industry what assessment she has made of the steps   taken to engage UK industry in the development of fuel cell technologies; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Energy White Paper contained a number of commitments on fuel cells. These involved the development of institutional support for the emerging UK fuel cell industry. We have made good progress in taking these forward. Fuel Cells UK was established in May 2003 with pump-priming support from DTI. Fuel Cells UK played the leading role in developing a UK Fuel Cell Vision, which was launched at the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium in September 2003. Also launched at that event was the Fuel Cells Forum, an IT based knowledge transfer network, informing UK stakeholder of worldwide activity and allowing the opportunity to easily engage business, academia and the Regions.
	DTI has supported industrial fuel cell RD under the DTI Advanced Fuel Programme since 1992. Funding for Collaborative Research and Development in Fuel Cells is now available as part of the Technology Programme, launched on 26 April. The DTI will continue to engage with industry to identify and address the technical and non-technical barriers to the deployment of fuel cell technologies in order to support UK Business.

Fuel Cell Technologies

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support will be given to those UK companies involved in the development of fuel cell technologies.

Stephen Timms: The DTI has supported industrial R and D on fuel cells since 1992, under the DTI New and Renewable Energy Programme, with a value of approximately 2 million per year. DTI has recently reviewed and simplified its business support products. In future, fuel cell proposals may be eligible for funding   under the DTI Collaborative Research and Development product, part of the DTI Technology Programme. A call for proposals (which includes fuel cells) is currently open. Details are available on the DTI website.
	Basic research in universities on both fuel cells and hydrogen is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), most recently under its SUPERGEN initiative. The Carbon Trust is also able to support fuel cell and hydrogen projects, including taking strategic investments.
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

Insurance

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on proposals under discussion in the European Council working group to abolish gender discrimination in insurance claims.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government has welcomed the development of European sex discrimination legislation through an Equal Treatment Directive. The Government strongly supports most of this Directive, but is aware of concerns about some aspects, including the effects of prohibiting the use of sex-based factors in insurance pricing. The UK will continue to negotiate constructively to achieve a final agreement that reflects UK priorities and concerns.

International Development

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what further steps she proposes to promote international trade with developing countries;
	(2)  what trade proposals she has to enable countries in Africa to increase levels of trade with the UK.

Mike O'Brien: The best opportunity for promoting trade with developing countries is a successful and ambitious result from the Doha Development Agenda in the World Trade Organisation. We are working closely with the European Commission, other member states and other governments to secure this. While the Doha Round remains our top priority, we are also working with the Commission on the revision of the EU's Generalised System of Preferences, which offers preferential access for developing countries to the now even larger European market, and totally tariff and quota free access for the Least Developed Countries, many of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries are under way.
	The forthcoming Trade and Investment White Paper will consider, among other issues, the trade framework between the EU and developing countries. The UK is also supporting capacity building in developing countries in trade policy and negotiations to the tune of   165 million over three years, by supporting organisations such as the Centre for WTO Law and the South Centre. We hope that the Commission for Africa, announced by the Prime Minister on 26 February, will consider what more can be done to help specifically African countries reap the benefits of increased world trade.

Large Combustion Plants Directive

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Government have made of the impact on the United Kingdom coal industry of introducing a national emissions reduction plan in order to implement the Large Combustion Plants Directive.

Stephen Timms: The Government have commissioned independent research into the potential impact on United Kingdom coal production of the alternative routes to implement the Large Combustion Plants Directive. The results of this research will help to inform the choice of implementation route and will be published in due course.

Liabilities Management Unit

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the members of her Department's liabilities management unit; what the qualifications of each are; and what the permanent place of employment of each secondee to the unit is.

Stephen Timms: The DTI organisational structure contains a Coal Liabilities Unit and a Nuclear Liabilities Management Unit.
	There are 39 staff in the Coal Liabilities Unit, 37 of whom are civil servants and two of whom are seconded from our claim handlers IRISC.
	There are 15 staff in the Nuclear Liabilties Management Unit, consisting of four civil servants and   11 secondees, from BNFL, UKAEA and RW Newchem.
	In addition, both Units have contracts with a number of consultants to provide additional support and advice.

London Development Agency

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many London Development Agency board members have (a) current and (b) recent business experience.

Jacqui Smith: The information is as follows.
	(a) 11.
	(b) 11.

Manned Space Travel

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government support is available for research into manned space travel.

Patricia Hewitt: In December 2003 the Government published its Space Strategy, which targets investment at those projects that offer the best commercial opportunities, scientific knowledge and environmental information, rather than national prestige. As we do not believe that human spaceflight programmes fall within these targets, we are focusing on the robotic exploration of the solar system. For example we are currently examining the scientific and industrial benefits of participation in the European Space Agency's Aurora programme.

Micro-satellites

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her assessment is of British industry's readiness to take advantage of the market for launching micro-satellites; and what action her Department is taking to improve that readiness.

Patricia Hewitt: In December 2003 the Government published clear priorities in its support for the UK space industry, the particular strengths of which lie in the Earth observation, satellite navigation and satellite communications sectors, both in their supply-side and in their fast-growing downstream segments. While the Government are alert to the need to ensure access to space, including for our leading-edge micro-satellite industry, we believe that the current over-supply in the global commercial launches market makes intervention unnecessary.

New Businesses (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have been established in Oldham West and Royton since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 400 in Oldham Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Oldham West and Royton), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 1,900 business start-ups in Oldham Local Authority in 2003. Data for Local Authorities are not available for before 2003.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for   Oldham Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Oldham West and Royton) are shown in the table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.
	
		VAT Registrations: 19972002
		
			  Oldham 
		
		
			 1997 480 
			 1998 470 
			 1999 465 
			 2000 480 
			 2001 440 
			 2002 510 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 19942002, Small Business Service, available from: www.sbs.gov.uk/statistics/vatstats.php
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

North Sea Energy Production

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the value of contracts for oil and gas production platforms in the North sea in areas for which the UK Government granted licences was awarded to UK-based firms in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Information on UK companies winning contracts from UKCS oil and gas operators is compiled only for major fields, such as Millom (approved 1999), Leadon (2000), Clair (2001), Goldeneye (2002) and Buzzard (2003). The involvement in these projects by UK-based companies with the necessary capability ranged from around 60 per cent. to 75 per cent. by contract value over this period.

Nuclear Security

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the main points were of the agreement reached with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the exchange of nuclear security information to which reference is made at paragraph 16.17 of her Department's Annual Report, Cm 6216.

Stephen Timms: The agreement between the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Trade and Industry facilitates the exchange of classified information regarding the safety and security of civil nuclear installations. Such agreements are vital in combating the threat of global terrorism.

Omega Site (Warrington)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the development of the Omega site in Warrington on (a) Warrington and (b) the regional economy.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not made an assessment of the impact of the development of the Omega site in Warrington. Omega South is one of the North West Development Agency's strategic regional sites. It has the potential to create some 12,000 jobs and it is essential that the development of this scale and significance is consistent with both national and regional planning policies.

Pilot Joint Taskforce

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual cost to her Department of participation in the Pilot joint taskforce on the future of the UK oil and gas industry (a) has been and (b) is expected to be in the next five years; and how her   Department measures value for money from participation in the Pilot taskforce.

Stephen Timms: provides the PILOT Secretariat, plus around 100K annually in direct support of industry initiatives and other related activity.
	DTI's financial commitment to PILOT is expected to remain the same for the next 5 years, subject to continual review and reflecting the situation in the UKCS (United Kingdom Continental Shelf).
	PILOT has set itself a number of challenging objectives that includes specific targets for production, investment and job creation. These objectives are transparent and measurable and DTI continually monitors progress.

Post Office

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library details of the business case underpinning the Post Office's closure proposals for the Fylde constituency.

Stephen Timms: No. Under the public consultation process, Post Office Limited supplies extensive information to assist stakeholders and other interested parties in their consideration of post office closure proposals, but detailed financial information is, necessarily, commercially confidential.

Post Office

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will urge Post Office Limited to make more time for consultation available to (a) the public and (b) other interested bodies when post offices are being considered for closure.

Stephen Timms: No. The public consultation period for proposed closure of post offices under Post Office Limited's urban reinvention programme has already been extended from four to six weeks. In addition, Postwatch receives notification of proposals two weeks in advance, and Members of Parliament one week in advance, of the start of public consultation. Local authorities are invited to provide relevant information, in advance, on infrastructure and regeneration projects to assist Post Office Limited in preparing its proposals.

Post Office

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the performance of Royal Mail delivery services in Hendon constituency.

Stephen Timms: Delivery services are the operational concern of Royal Mail Group and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Premium Rate Telephone Numbers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to reduce the incidence of companies providing misleading information regarding premium rate telephone numbers; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The regulation of Premium Rate Services is a matter for the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS). Their Code of practice sets out the requirement for companies to provide clear pricing information and specifically prohibits the use of misleading pricing information.

Premium Rate Telephone Numbers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations and discussions she has had regarding misleading information by companies charging premium rate costs   for telephone services; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent representations on this matter. Misleading information about such services is a matter for the Premium Rate Services regulator, the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS).

Regeneration (Hampshire)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money her Department has spent on the South Hampshire Priority Area for Economic Regeneration in (a) 200102, (b) 200203 and (c) 200304; and how much is budgeted to be spent in (i) 200405 and (ii) 200506.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 1 April 2004
	The DTI, alongside a number of other Government Departments, funds the South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) to catalyse and carry out economic development and regeneration activities in the South East region. Funds are provided to SEEDA as a Single Budget and it is not possible to separate out DTI funded activity within the Agency's work. Activity by the Agency is however very relevant to the DTIs economic development objectives and is an important element of spend in the South Hampshire Priority Area for Economic Regeneration.
	SEEDA's priority areas are based on Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) 9. SEEDA has spent some 34 million in 200102, 32.6 million in 200203, and 20.4 million in 200304 in the South Hampshire Priority Area for Regeneration, which for RPG purposes includes Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Eastleigh.
	Known allocated spend in 200405 will be in the order of 10 million with further expenditure of around 9 million in 200506. The amount spent may, however, vary from this, for example, because of land and property spend in 200506 for which there is not a current estimate. Future expenditure will be determined through the Area Investment Framework process which the Agency has developed, which defines local priorities and brings together not just SEEDA funding but multiple mainstream funding streams.
	Besides this, investment made directly by the Department of Trade and Industry in the area is as follows.
	
		
		
			  200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Smart and Enterprise Grant 485,754 1,007,191 332,605 76,000 51,000 
			 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (following on from the TeachingCompany Scheme) 25,500 20,000 77,000 76,000 51,000 
		
	
	Phoenix Fund
	A sum of 839,000 has been allocated from the Phoenix Fund for two projects in the area within the period. This grant is not annualised but is drawn down as spent.
	Small Firms Loan Guarantee
	In addition the Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) guaranteed 38 loans in the year 200102 valued at 2.15 million, 37 loans in 200202 valued at 2.9 million and 66 loans in 200304 valued at 4 million. These figures do not equate to spend. Government expenditure only arises if there is a subsequent default and the guarantee is called upon. Figures for future years are not available as SFLG is demand led.
	Business Link Wessex
	Spend in South Hampshire by Business Link Wessex   on providing business support to SMEs is approximately 1.3 million per year for the years 200102, 200203 and 200304. Expenditure in 200405 will be of the same order. The budget for 200506 is not yet firm.

Regional Development Agencies

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list, for each of the nine regional development agencies in England, (a) the aggregate amount of forward funding commitments entered into by the Agency at 31 March and (b) the annual budget of the Agency for financial year 200405.

Jacqui Smith: The figures are set out in the following table; the information on commitments has been provided by the Regional Development Agencies.
	
		 million
		
			  Budget for 200405 Committed spend in relation to 200405 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands 245 245 
			 East of England Development Agency 99 65 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 124 47 
			 London Development Agency 379 260 
			 North West Development Agency 358 346 
			 ONE North East 237 224 
			 South East England Development Agency 130 96 
			 South West of England Regional   Development Agency 130 127 
			 Yorkshire Forward 266 245

Regulations

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the regulations that have been (a) introduced and (b) removed by her Department in each year since 1990.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 28 April 2004
	There have been 1713 regulations introduced by the Department in the period 1991 to 2003. A listing of these Statutory Instruments will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	There is no centrally held information about the regulations removed during the period. But a recent OECD Economic Survey of the United Kingdom noted   that economic and administrative regulations inhibiting competition and barriers to trade are amongst the lowest in the OECD.

Renewables Obligation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the implications for the renewables obligation of the liquidation of Atlantic Electric and Gas; and whether its renewables obligation liabilities have been acquired by another going concern.

Stephen Timms: My officials are discussing the implications for the renewables obligation of the liquidation of Atlantic Electric and Gas with Ofgem. At this stage it is too early to assess the impact on the renewables obligation.

Renewables Obligation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will assess the effectiveness of the mechanism of the trading of renewable obligation certificates (ROCs), with specific reference to the liquidation of an energy company possessing ROCs.

Stephen Timms: In the event of the liquidation of an energy company possessing ROCs, the ROCs are one of the company's assets and can be sold by the liquidators, either to a company acquiring the business of the insolvent supplier or separately to another purchaser.

Small Business Office, Brussels

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the planned (a) resource budget, (b) administration costs and (c) staff numbers are for 2004 of the Small Business Office in Brussels sponsored by her Department.

Nigel Griffiths: For the financial year 200405 the   budget provided by the Small Business Service forthe UK SME liaison office in Brussels (Smallbusinesseurope) is 127,500.
	Two full time staff are engaged in the office's work, and a university placement student is also employed for 10 months each year.

Small Business Service

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for   Trade and Industry pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 28 April 2004, Official Report, columns 4344WS on small business service, how much financial support her Department intends to provide for the Phoenix Fund Building scheme from April; and for what period.

Nigel Griffiths: The total budget for the Phoenix Fund is 50 million from April 2004-March 2006. From that, the following allocations have been made to those parts of the Fund referred to in the written ministerial statement of 28 April 2004, Official Report, columns 4344WS:
	City Growth Strategies3.5 million
	Building on the Best element of the Phoenix Development Fund13.4 million
	Building on the Best element of the Challenge Fund for Community Development Finance Institutions8.4 million.

Small Business Service

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the devolution of Small Business Services.

Nigel Griffiths: As announced in the 2004 Budget statement the Government will devolve regional and local Business Link services to the RDAs, within a framework for setting national standards and services to be developed by the Small Business Service, the RDAs and other Government Departments funding business support. The Government intend to implement devolution from April 2005, and will publish more details on these new arrangements in the 2004 Spending Review.

Small Businesses

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to protect small businesses from late payments.

Nigel Griffiths: This Government has done more than any other to specifically address the problem of late payment. We introduced the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 which allows small businesses to claim interest and debt recovery costs on late paid invoices and also gives representative organisations the right to challenge unfair contract terms on behalf of SMEs.
	The Government helped to create the Better Payment Practice Group (BPPG) a cooperative forum of Industry associations and Government that seeks to improve the payment culture in the UK. The BPPG provides a range of information and advice to all businesses, its website www.payontime.co.uk includes a guide to using the legislation as well as other tools.
	A recent survey by the REL Consultancy Group looked at average days payable outstanding (DPO) and concluded that UK companies' payment performance is 33.6 days against 42.4 days for Europe as a whole, whilst countries such as Italy (67.9) and France (63.4) perform considerably less well.

Small Businesses

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Oldham West and Royton since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: The Business Link Operator for North Manchester has provided assistance to 887 businesses in the Oldham West and Royton constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Businesses Link operators (seven in the North West) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized   enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government Support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to this data.
	The 887 companies have received assistance on Business Finance, Environmental, E-Services, High Growth, International, Innovation Technology and Design, Micro Support, Supply Chain, and Workforce Development and other Account Management assistance.
	Eight companies have received offers of grant from the Research and Development Grant scheme with a total value of 195,000.

Small Businesses

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many new businesses have been established in Preston since 1997;
	(2)  how many new businesses have started up in Preston since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 2,600 in Lancashire County (which contains the constituency of Preston), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 10,200 business start-ups in Lancashire County in 2003. Data for counties are not available for before 2003.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Preston local authority and South Ribble local authority (parts of both include the constituency of Preston) are shown in the table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in Autumn 2004.
	
		VAT registrations: 19972002
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Preston 465 420 410 395 365 345 
			 South Ribble 275 300 255 280 240 250 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 19942002, Small Business Service
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

Software Patents Directive

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's stance is on the proposed EU Software Patents Directive.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government continues to support the thrust of the proposal put forward by the European Commission for a Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions that clarifies the existing position and reduces uncertainty in this field. Recent discussions on this subject have taken place between my officials and officials of other Member States with a view to a discussion in the Competitiveness Council on 17 and 18 May 2004. My Department continues to work with interested parties and other Member States to achieve a Directive that offers benefits for both innovators and users of this technology in the UK and Europe.

Steel Industry

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the (a) level and (b) effects on the UK steel industry of steel   dumping in Europe; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: None. Complaints about dumping in the European Union relating to steel or any other product and its effects on the Community industry, including the UK, are assessed by the European Commission against the criteria laid down in the EC's Basic Anti-dumping Regulation. The European Commission determines whether dumping has occurred and the extent to which the industry has been injured. If it finds dumping and injury, it may recommend anti-dumping measures which usually take the form of additional duties. It is then up the Member States, including UK government officials, to support or oppose any Commission recommendation for anti-dumping measures.

Sub-post Offices (Leicester)

Stephen Dorrell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many (a) benefit, (b) postal order and (c) Girobank transactions were completed in each of the last five financial years by the sub-post offices at (i) 30 Went Road, Birstall, Leicester and (ii) 778 Melton Road, Thurmaston, Leicester;
	(2)  what the cost to Post Office Ltd. was in each of the last five financial years of keeping open the sub-post offices at (a) 30 Went Road, Birstall, Leicester and (b) 778 Melton Road, Thurmaston, Leicester.

Stephen Timms: These are operational maters for Post Office Ltd. and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Sustainable Energy

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to promote sustainable technologies to generate power supplies in future.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government's target for renewables is that, by 2010, 10 per cent. of our electricity sales will come from renewable sourced electricity. The target is challenging as we are starting from a low base.
	The Government's main policy mechanism for achieving the target is the Renewables Obligation (and Renewables Obligation Scotland) Introduced in April 2002, it places an obligation on all licensed electricity suppliers to supply a specified and growing proportion of their sales from electricity generated from a range of eligible renewable sources.
	Through the Renewables Obligation (RO), we are looking to accelerate the development of renewables in a wide range of sources and technologies. In order to encourage a more vigorous and diverse renewable energy sector, the Government has allocated a total of 350 million over four years for capital grants and research grants to promote forms renewable energy that are further from becoming commercially competitive. This includes among other things grants of 117 million for offshore wind, 66 million for energy crops and biomass, 25 million for solar photovoltaics (PV), 10 million for community schemes and 5 million for wave and tidal demonstration projects.
	The Government additionally has a target of achieving at least 10 gigawatts of good Quality combined heat power (CHP) capacity by 2010 and published its Strategy for CHP to 2010 on 26 April of this year confirming its continued aim towards that target. CHP is a highly fuel-efficient energy technology which (puts to use waste heat produced as a by-product of the electricity generation process and) can make a significant contribution to the UK's sustainable energy goals.

Sustainable Energy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to make a statement on the first annual report on sustainable energy; and what form such a statement will take.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, wrote on 26 April to Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) and the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) informing them that the Government was publishing on that day the first annual report on the Energy White Paper, among other documents, and that copies of the report had been placed in the Libraries of the House. My right hon. Friend also made a written ministerial statement on   27 April 2004, Official Report, column 37WS, announcing that the annual report had been published and that copies had been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has no plans to make a further statement.

Tokamak Experimental Reactor

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress being made to build the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor.

Patricia Hewitt: The international partners are trying to reach a compromise on the two proposed locations for ITER that will be acceptable to the whole ITER partnership. Extensive negotiations are also taking place between the candidate hosts Europe and Japan to see whether the issue can be resolved bilaterally.

Unsolicited Faxes

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to protect consumers from unsolicited faxes.

Stephen Timms: Individual subscribers are offered protection from unsolicited direct marketing faxes under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 and the sending of such faxes is prohibited unless individuals have given their prior consent.
	Corporate subscribers are protected from receiving unsolicited direct marketing faxes if they have previously notified the sender that they do wish to receive such faxes or have been registered for at least 28 days with the Fax Preference Service (FPS), which is an opt-out scheme and is run on Ofcom's behalf by the Direct Marketing Association.

Utilities (Disconnections)

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the benefits of expanding the moratoria on disconnections for vulnerable groups beyond the winter months; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: Last month, Ofgem issued an industry consultation paper that set out proposed revisions to, and clarification of, the arrangements for gas and electricity disconnections. This should ensure that vulnerable customers are not, in the future, disconnected. I very much welcome this development, which will benefit vulnerable customers throughout the year.

West Lancashire

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have started up in West Lancashire since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 2,600 in Lancashire county (which contains the constituency of West Lancashire), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 10,200 business start-ups in Lancashire county in 2003. Data for counties are not available for before 2003.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for West Lancashire local authority (which contains the constituency of West Lancashire) are shown as follows for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.
	
		VAT registrations: 19972002
		
			 West Lancashire Number 
		
		
			 1997 260 
			 1998 245 
			 1999 290 
			 2000 265 
			 2001 285 
			 2002 265 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 19942002, Small Business Service, available from: www.sbs.gov.uk/statistics/vatstats.php
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were-registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Office over the last five years is of British manufacture.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) today, Official Report, 10 May, c. 4W.

Dr. Salim Abu Hunak

David Drew: To ask the Prime Minister whether he   raised the case of Dr. Salim Abu Hunak, held in Abu   Salim Prison in Tripoli, when he recently met Colonel Gadaffi; and what action the Government is   taking to make progress towards the release of Dr. Hunak.

Tony Blair: My discussions with Colonel Gadaffi on 25 March focused on international and regional security issues.
	We are aware of the case of Salem Abu Hanak and are monitoring developments.
	We remain concerned about Libya's human rights record and will continue to press Libya to implement its recent announcements to sign international agreements against torture and abolish the People's Courts.

Early Retirement

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister how many employees in his office took early retirement in the last financial year; and at what total cost.

Tony Blair: None.

House of Lords

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the peers appointed since 1997 who are members of Northern Ireland political parties, broken down by party.

Tony Blair: Since the beginning of 1997, five   Ulster Unionist Party working peers have been appointed: Lord Molyeaux of Killead, Lord Rogan, Lord Laird, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass and Lord Kilclooney.

House of Lords Appointments Commission

Lady Hermon: To ask the Prime Minister how many times the House of Lords Appointments Commission has met since its formation.

Tony Blair: The full House of Lords Appointments Commission has met 26 times since its formation.

Menus

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Prime Minister whether he is consulted on the menus at functions where he is the host.

Tony Blair: Catering at official functions held at No. 10 Downing Street is provided by a variety of approved caterers. Menus are created to suit the nature of the function and to take into account the dietary needs of guests.

WALES

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the production of his Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Don Touhig: The 2004 Wales Office Annual Report cost 11,515. The minimum order of 250 copies were printed for the Wales Office, of which 112 copies were provided free of charge to: all Welsh MPs; all members of the Welsh Affairs Committee; all Assembly Members; the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Department for Constitutional Affairs; the Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Wales; and, the Permanent Secretaries of the National Assembly for Wales and the Department for Constitutional Affairs. A further four copies were laid in the House.
	The Stationary Office (ISO) also printed a further 600 copies for their own stores. As the report has only recently been published, TSO are unable to provide figures on purchases from their stores.

Farming

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales   how many farms in Wales, comprising what land   areas and in what locations, have restrictions applied to them in respect of land use as a result of the residual radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Don Touhig: The figures show the number of farms in Wales, their location and area of land covered by restrictions on the movement of sheep, as a result of the residual radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. There have been no restrictions on land use as a result of the Chernobyl accident.
	
		
			 Restrictions in Wales at 30 April 2004 1 
		
		
			 Number of farms 359 
			 Land area (hectares) 53,000 
			 Location Snowdonia, North Wales 
		
	
	(37) Statistics provided by the Food Standards Agency

Mold Flood Alleviation Scheme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Government about providing exceptional costs to implement the Mold Flood Allevation Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: I understand that the National Assembly has made 3.713 million available to the Environment Agency, this financial year, to support flood defence works within its approved programme. It is up to the Agency to determine priorities within its budget. The Agency is currently reviewing its capital programme, to see how it can maximise the funding available for the Mold scheme.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many (a) Ordinary Written and (b) Named Day Questions his Department received in (i) the 200203 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month;
	(2)  what proportion of (a) Ordinary Written Questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling and (b) Questions for a Named Day received a substantive answer on that day in (i) 200203 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month.

Don Touhig: The information is not available in the format requested. However, during session 200203 the following parliamentary questions were tabled:
	290 (Ordinary Written Questions) of these 41 per cent. were answered within five sitting days.
	42 (Named Days) of these 61.9 per cent.were answered on the specified date.
	For 200304:
	91 (Ordinary Written Questions) of these 52.7 per cent. were answered within five sitting days.
	6 (Named Days) of these 100 per cent. were answered on the specified date.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Rate

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to take steps to enable business rate income to remain with local authorities; how much business rate was collected by the London Borough of (a) Waltham Forest and (b) Redbridge in the last year for which   figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The amounts of business rates collected in 200203, the most recent year for which figures are available, are:
	(a) London Borough of Waltham Forest: 35.412 million
	(b) London Borough of Redbridge: 38.511 million
	These figures are taken from the QRC4 return from each authority.
	The Office of Deputy Prime Minister is planning to introduce the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme from April 2005. This scheme will allow retention of some business rates revenue by local authorities whose areas experience business rates growth above a predetermined threshold. We shall issue a consultation paper about the preferred scheme in the summer.
	The Balance of Funding Review, which I chair, has received evidence for and against the complete return of business rates to local authority control. The Review is due to report in the summer.

Business Rates (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was collected in business rates in Chorley in each of the last three years.

Nick Raynsford: The figures for National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) collected in Chorley in each of the last three years are tabled as follows:
	
		
		
			  In year collection 
		
		
			 200102 16,300,841 
			 200203 16,824,868 
			 200304 16,672,318 
		
	
	The figures for 200304 have been calculated, but as yet not audited and certified by the Audit Commission.

Committee of the Regions

Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the representatives to the Committee of the Regions will come from the elected members to the proposed regional assemblies.

Nick Raynsford: At present, in addition to nominations received from the Local Government Association, each English regional chamber and the Greater London Authority nominate one member and one alternate to be proposed by the Government as English members of the Committee of the Regions.
	As stated in the White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions (Cm 5511May 2002), the Government intends that in those regions where an elected regional assembly is established, the assembly will take the role for its region currently exercised by the regional chamber. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consult on the detail of the nomination process in advance of nominations for the committee to be instituted in 2006.

Council Tax (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the total of unpaid council tax in Greater London, broken down by borough, in each year since 1997.

Nick Raynsford: Tabled are figures for the amounts of council tax payable for each financial year from 199697 to 200203 that had not been collected by the end of the year to which they related.
	
		Amounts of council tax uncollected at the end of the financial year --  thousand
		
			  199697 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 Inner London
			 City of London 27 40 49 37 38 41 66 
			 Camden 6,100 6,082 5,220 4,700 4,610 4,389 5,215 
			 Greenwich 3,448 3,410 3,725 4,324 4,019 4,331 4,146 
			 Hackney 5,997 6,435 8,371 11,859 13,085 11,301 9,652 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 5,075 5,084 3,627 3,425 3,363 3,156 2,916 
			 Islington 6,431 4,509 4,542 4,269 4,441 3,869 5,664 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2,007 2,123 2,068 2,085 2,079 2,550 2,842 
			 Lambeth 8,694 8,729 9,186 7,377 9,012 7,864 6,373 
			 Lewisham 5,846 3,817 4,134 3,849 3,593 3,834 4,183 
			 Southwark 6,259 7,934 9,126 10,324 7,168 5,905 5,141 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,712 3,016 2,976 3,244 3,493 3,397 3,215 
			 Wandsworth 4,937 3,637 2,730 2,668 2,478 2,597 2,175 
			 Westminster 2,009 2,145 1,981 2,471 3,186 3,027 3,010 
			 Total inner London 59,542 56,961 57,735 60,632 60,565 56,261 54,598 
			 
			 Outer London
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,043 1,134 1,208 1,466 1,848 1,840 2,966 
			 Barnet 3,798 3,691 3,944 3,908 4,019 4,008 4,223 
			 Bexley 1,575 2,486 2,914 2,803 2,737 2,866 2,804 
			 Brent 3,833 4,069 3,591 4,664 4,363 5,314 6,897 
			 Bromley 1,724 1,795 2,181 2,942 3,037 3,440 3,829 
			 Croydon 4,954 5,096 5,390 6,961 7,236 5,592 5,070 
			 Haling 2,723 2,765 3,037 3,737 4,838 4,738 4,642 
			 Enfield 4,204 4,445 3,775 4,015 3,878 4,225 4,597 
			 Haringey 9,177 8,314 7,488 7,915 6,290 5,867 4,526 
			 Harrow 1,502 1,496 1,674 2,187 1,151 963 2,091 
			 Havering 1,466 1,142 1,757 2,669 2,344 2,905 3,258 
			 Hillingdon 2,639 2,491 2,399 3,098 2,985 2,641 3,964 
			 Hounslow 3,095 3,683 3,173 3,541 3,536 4,064 4,398 
			 Kingston upon Thames 921 2,118 3,127 2,727 2,906 2,166 2,059 
			 Merton 2,201 1,932 2,319 2,396 2,420 2,697 2,319 
			 Newham 4,703 4,881 4,926 5,342 5,475 5,298 4,294 
			 Redbridge 1,840 1,763. 1,937 2,403 2,748 2,869 3,073 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,564 1,507 2,187 2,100 2,134 1,886 2,040 
			 Sutton 720 1,039 1,323 1,303 1,366 1,553 1,673 
			 Waltham Forest 3,378 3,738 5,659 6,066 6,357 5,313 4,141 
			 Total Outer London 57,060 59,585 64,009 72,243 71,668 70,245 72,864 
			 
			 Total Greater London 116,602 116,546 121,744 132,875 132,233 126,506 127,462 
		
	
	(38) Amounts relate only to the financial year shown: arrears carried forward from earlier years are not therefore included.
	In addition, the total level of council tax arrears includes amounts uncollected from previous years. Reliable figures for these are not currently available for individual local authorities. It is estimated, however, that nationally, the level of arrears carried forward from previous years is currently equal to approximately twice the amount not collected in-year.

Emergency Vehicles (Speed Cameras)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list (a) the official meetings he has had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 and (b) the dates and subject of each meeting.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has had no official meeting with the Mayor of London since July 2000.

Emergency Vehicles (Speed Cameras)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the cost to fire and rescue authorities of dealing with the paperwork resulting from fire engines on emergency calls captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits.

Nick Raynsford: None.

Emergency Vehicles (Speed Cameras)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  on how many occasions in each of the last 12 months fire authority vehicles on emergency calls have been captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits in each fire and rescue authority;
	(2)  how many administrators were involved, and at what annual cost, in each fire and rescue authority to   deal with paperwork resulting from emergency vehicles captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fire Authority Precepts

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many complaints he received about the precepts of combined fire authorities for 200405 between 10 February and 28 April;
	(2)  how many complaints he received about the Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority's precept for 200405 between 10 February and 28 April.

Nick Raynsford: Over the last three months the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received a large volume of correspondence about council tax, some covering specific local authorities and others about the council tax system in general. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Football Stadium, Falmer

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 19 April, Official Report, column 348W, on the football stadium, Falmer, if he will define the nature of representations received following the closure of the inquiry into the proposal for a football stadium at Falmer, East Sussex, which he deems to be relevant in his consideration of the report from his planning inspector.

Keith Hill: The Inspector's report into the applications made by Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club Ltd. for a new stadium at Falmer is currently before the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister for decision, which will be made on the basis of all the available evidence. Representations received after the close of the public inquiry will be taken into account, so far as they are relevant, in making that decision. For reasons of procedural propriety, it is not possible to discuss the nature of the post-inquiry representations received. However, it will be clear from the decision letter what matters have been taken into account and the weight that has been accorded to any particular matter.
	My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is currently engaged in a reference back exercise where he is inviting comments from the relevant parties about issues arising since the close of inquiry. Representations made in relation to this exercise will be copied to those parties. Given the hon. Member's interest in the case, copies of the reference back correspondence will be sent to the hon. Member.
	My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will take into account all comments received in making his decision.

Football Stadium, Falmer

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what date he received the report from his planning inspector into the proposal for a football stadium at Falmer, East Sussex; and for what reasons he has not yet announced his decision.

Keith Hill: The Inspector's report into the applications by Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club Ltd. was received by the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 11 December 2003.
	A decision has yet to be made because my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is currently engaged in a reference back exercise in relation to this case, which was initiated on 19 March 2004. Comments from the relevant parties about issues arising since the close of inquiry have been invited, specifically representations received about the draft Brighton and Hove Local Plan. It is my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's view that this exercise will enable him to take a more fully informed decision. It should not be read as an indication of my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's attitude to the proposals generally one way or the other.
	My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will take into account all comments received in making a decision on the application. Given the hon. Member's interest in the case, copies of the reference back correspondence will be sent to the hon. Member.

Green Belt

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what acreage of land identified as green belt in 1997 has been subsequently declassified, broken down by county; and what acreage classified as non-green belt in 1997 has since been classified as green belt, broken down by county.

Keith Hill: The hectares of land classified as non-Green Belt in 1997 but classified as Green Belt in 2003 and land declassified as Green Belt between 1997 and 2003 are tabled as followed.
	
		Changes to the extent of Green Belt in England: 19972003 hectares
		
			  New classified Green Beltland Declassified Green Beltland 
		
		
			 Berkshire 10 0 
			 Cheshire 1,080 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 60 
			 Dorset 160 0 
			 Durham 280 0 
			 Essex 160 0 
			 Hertfordshire 20 30 
			 Kent 0 20 
			 Lancashire 3,850 270 
			 London 0 20 
			 Merseyside 0 160 
			 North Yorkshire 760 60 
			 Northumberland 12,810 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 190 
			 Somerset 120 0 
			 South Yorkshire 670 0 
			 Staffordshire 130 0 
			 Surrey 110 50 
			 Tyne and Wear 0 110 
			 West Midlands 200 0 
			 West Yorkshire 0 340 
			 Total 20,360 1,310

Housing

Michael Meacher: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of the Starter Homes Initiative on the residents of Oldham, West and Royton.

Keith Hill: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given on 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1228W.

Housing

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his assessment of how the change in the level of council funding for housing has   affected the residents of West Lancashire since 1997.

Keith Hill: Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 200102 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. West Lancashire's allocations in the period 1997 to 200304 have risen by over 300 per cent. In addition to this welcome increase there has been support through the Community Housing Task Force and Government Office for the North West that has helped the local authority and its tenants to choose the best strategy for long term improvement.
	16 local authorities in the North West have transferred all their stock, and five local authorities have transferred part of their stock. This has unlocked 1,739 million in private finance, of which 553 million has gone to local authorities in capital receipts, with the remaining 1,186 million going directly into renovating and maintaining the transferred properties. Four local authorities have schemes on the programme that have not yet transferred, three of which have had positive ballot results. Ellesmere Port and Neston, Halton, Hyndburn, Macclesfield and West Lancashire have been granted places on the 2004 programme.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to announce the decision on the 2004 housing stock transfer programme.

Keith Hill: I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 5 May 2004, Official Report, column 80WS.

Ordnance Survey

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how   much money from Government (a) grants and (b) contracts, Ordnance Survey has used to support its commercial aerial activities.

Yvette Cooper: None.

Ordnance Survey

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reason Ordnance Survey rejected Getmapping's bid for the Millennium Map to be adopted as the Imagery Layer in Digital National Framework in November 2001.

Yvette Cooper: Ordnance Survey takes third party data into its databases only after full and careful consideration of content, quality, price and management of intellectual property rights associated with the data being evaluated. The OJEU process is always used for this purpose when there are alternative sources. To ensure value for money, the costs, benefits and quality of Ordnance Survey's own in-house capability is taken into consideration in these evaluations.
	The reasons for rejecting particular third party data are confidential between Ordnance Survey and the third party.

Ordnance Survey

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many sales Ordnance Survey made of the Millennium Map during the period of its contract as a re-seller of the map.

Yvette Cooper: Ordnance Survey gave notice to terminate its contract with Getmapping for distribution of Getmapping products in April 2002.
	Statistics of commercial sales of partners' products by Ordnance Survey are confidential between Ordnance Survey and its partners.

Planning

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the key performance indicators for local authorities are for the delegation of planning decisions to officers.

Keith Hill: The Local Government Association and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have jointly published revised guidance on schemes of delegation. The document is called Delivering Delegation and apart from re-affirming policy on delegation, the document also details the types of decisions that can be delegated and provides best practice models of delegation schemes. This is agreed to be a more effective way of ensuring appropriate levels of delegation than measurement through a formal performance indicator.

Regional Assemblies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the current and projected elements of the Your Say campaign; and what the total estimated cost is of each.

Nick Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 366W.

Regional Assemblies

Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what security the proposed regional assemblies would have to give in order to borrow cash.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects the provisions on security for money borrowed by elected regional assemblies to be similar to   those for local authorities following the Local Government Act 2003.

Swarcliffe Pathfinder Scheme

Colin Burgon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects final approval to be given for the Pathfinder Scheme for Swarcliffe to proceed.

Keith Hill: Final approval for the Swarcliffe scheme to proceed will be issued following the submission and approval of the Scheme's Final Business Case.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Castlereagh College

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action has been taken to ensure Castlereagh College is able to offer assistance and training to people who face redundancy in the Castlereagh/East Belfast and Strangford areas; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: As part of its role in supporting local economic development, Castlereagh College is well placed to offer assistance and training to people facing redundancy in the Castlereagh, East Belfast and Strangford areas. Of particular relevance is the College's new service, Conexus which links the College's vocational, employability and business programmes. The range of services offered by Conexus includes:
	individual career advice and guidance;
	individual guidance on learning and retraining opportunities;
	identification of learning needs and the development and delivery of tailored solutions;
	a range of programmes to enhance employability and provide qualifications linked to industry's needs; and
	extensive links with other economic agencies and local employers.

Cigarettes

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  when he expects to reply to the questions, reference (a) 159955 and (b) 159956, tabled by the hon. Member for East Antrim on 8 March 2004;
	(2)  how many container loads of cigarettes have been reported stolen in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months for which records are available;
	(3)  what the (a) total number of cigarettes and (b) total amount of tobacco seized by Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland was in the last 12 months for which records are available.

Ian Pearson: I am sorry for the delay in replying.
	Regarding the number of container loads of cigarettes stolen in Northern Ireland (question reference 159956), a substantial search of records is required to collate the   information requested. I will write to the hon. Gentleman with this information once it is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.
	The total quantity of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco seized by Customs in 200203 (question reference 159955) is set out in the Annual Report of the Commissioners of HM Customs and Excise published in December 2003, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. The location of a seizure is by no means an indication of the location of the illicit market for which they are bound. Specifically in Northern Ireland in 200203 Customs seized 31.5 million cigarettes and 731 kilos of hand rolling tobacco.

Disabled People (Education)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is being made to assist disabled people in undertaking courses at each of Northern Ireland's universities.

Barry Gardiner: The Department for Employment and Learning has in place a number of specific actions designed to promote access to Higher Education by students with disabilities. These include a funding premium, special project funding and capital funding. The universities might, for example, use this funding to provide specialist equipment or specific support for students with a disability.
	The Department also provides the universities with special project funding under the Improving Provision for Disabled Students initiative. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) has received special project funding to support a Disability Services Co-ordinator, and to support a project entitled To Enhance Employment opportunities for Students with Disabilities. The University of Ulster (UU) has received special project funding to establish, in partnership with QUB Institute, a register of freelance professional and non-professional support workers, including dyslexia support workers, readers and notetakers, to assist students with disabilities.
	QUB and UU have received Disability Capital Funding from the Department, which is aimed at assisting the universities in funding essential capital works to provide, for example, ramps, lift adaptations, disabled toilets, carparking for the disabled, alarm system adaptations for the deaf and visually impaired and automatic doors.

Energy Efficiency

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to encourage energy efficiency in Northern Ireland.

Barry Gardiner: Statutory responsibility for energy efficiency in Northern Ireland is shared between a number of Government Departments and Agencies which have committed approximately 16 million in programmes sponsored during 2003. In addition the private sector is also playing an active role.
	The Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment is responsible for overall energy policy, including the development of a strategic and co-ordinated approach to energy efficiency. In addition, Invest NI promotes energy efficiency in the industrial and commercial sectors and provides a programme of support to businesses. During January 2004 Invest NI ran the Northern Ireland Energy Show attended by almost 1,000 delegates. A programme of 10 master classes, facilitated by industry experts, supported the exhibition.
	The Department for Social Development has lead responsibility for energy efficiency in the domestic housing sector, working closely with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. Details of the housing measures are contained in the Home Energy Conservation Report which is published annually and copied to all Northern Ireland MPs and MLAs. A copy is available in the Library.
	Northern Ireland Electricity manages the Customer Energy Efficiency Levy programme, with an annual fund of approximately 3.8 million, 80 per cent. of which is used for 'whole house' solutions in homes that are likely to be at risk from fuel poverty.
	The Energy Savings Trust funds two Energy Efficiency Advice Centres which provide free and impartial energy advice to domestic consumers.
	The Carbon Trust, with funding support from Invest NI, manages the Action Energy programme, including promotional events, advice on energy efficiency best practice, and interest free loans for energy efficiency projects to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Over the past three years, through over 800 energy audits with North Ireland businesses, the Action Energy programme has identified energy savings in excess of 30 million.
	The Department of Finance and Personnel operates a programme of energy efficiency measures in the public sector that includes the:
	Benchmarking of each building occupied by a public body for its energy performance and emissions of carbon dioxide;
	Provision of additional funding to enable public bodies to implement energy saving improvements to buildings which cannot be funded from normal budget allocations;
	Provision of training courses in energy awareness and management for relevant staff throughout all Government Departments; and
	Purchase of electricity generated from renewable sources (green electricity) where this represents value for money.

Football

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy not to draw from the 8 million Soccer Strategy budget the money required to bring the Windsor Park stadium up to the required standard to permit the World Cup qualifying matches against England and Wales to be held at the stadium.

Angela Smith: To date, no element of the 8 million Soccer Strategy budget has been earmarked for Windsor Park. However, an indicative sum of 3 million has been earmarked from Soccer Strategy monies for playing facilities generally. Bringing Windsor Park up to the required standard for the World Cup qualifiers against England and Wales could be considered as part of the playing facilities component of the Strategy but I   would emphasise that responsibility for resolving any   deficiencies at Windsor Park, and identifying appropriate sources of funding for that purpose, rests with the IFA and the owners of the venue.

Football

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been allocated to bring Windsor Park stadium up to the required standard to permit the World Cup qualifying matches against England and Wales to be held at the stadium.

Angela Smith: Responsibility for bringing Windsor Park stadium up to the required standard to permit the World Cup qualifiers against England and Wales to be held at the stadium rests with the governing body of Football in Northern Ireland, the Irish Football Association (IFA), and the owners of Windsor Park, Linfield FC. As no request for Government funding has been received either from the IFA or Linfield FC for this purpose, no Government money has been allocated.

Football

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the nature is of the relationship between Windsor Park and the Northern Ireland international football team in relation to the staging of international fixtures.

Angela Smith: Responsibility for staging international football matches rests with the Irish Football Association (IFA). Under an agreement, between Linfield Football Club and the IFA the home internationals are staged at Windsor Park.

Football

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government assistance has been   provided for the Irish Football Association's youth development programme through its School of Excellence.

Angela Smith: Government has provided via the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, a 1.6 million funding package for the Irish Football Association's (IFA) Youth Development Programme over a three-year period. This funding package is directed to the IFA's Football Development Centres rather than a School of Excellence. So far 25 youth Football Development Centres, have been established across Northern Ireland with a total spend of 1.2 million to date.

Independent Monitoring Commission

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sanctions are available to the Government regarding the Independent Monitoring Commission Report and its conclusions in respect of Sinn Fein.

John Spellar: Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, as amended by the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003 and the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Modification) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1164), my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, may take steps to reduce financial assistance to Assembly parties or the pay of Members of the Assembly for a period of up to 12 months if (a) the Monitoring Commission has made a report containing a recommendation about steps which are steps that the Assembly might consider taking were section 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 not in force; and (b) the taking of those steps would have required the passing of an Assembly resolution in relation to a political party.
	The Secretary of State must also be satisfied either that the party in question is not committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means; or that the party is not committed to such of its Members as might become Ministers or junior Ministers observing the other terms of the pledge of office.

La Mon Bombing

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2004, Official Report, column 1332W, whether search and log records for the night of 17 February 1978 have been retained in a location other than within the investigations file and   HM Coroner's reports relating to the La Mon bombing.

Ian Pearson: Further to the answer that my right hon. Friend (Jane Kennedy) gave the hon. Gentleman on 30 March 2004, Official Report, column 1332W, I am advised that further inquiries have been carried out as a result of the hon. Gentleman's Question by the District Commander of Castlereagh into the retention of any search records and logs for the La Mon bombing in 1978. The inquiries were carried out in Castlereagh District Command Unit, Ards District Command Unit and in other DCUs where persons were arrested in connection with the incident, however no search records or logs have come to light.
	I understand that force policy in respect of search records was first issued in 1983.

Lyric Theatre (Belfast)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the amount of Lottery Art Fund money being made available for the re-development of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.

Angela Smith: Since 1996 the Arts Council Lottery Fund has made awards totalling 95,000 towards proposals for the re-development of the Lyric Theatre. The Council also awarded 2 million in-principle in December 2003 towards the costs, estimated at 117 million, of rebuilding the Theatre on its current site. With an annual income of approximately 7 million (dependent on ticket sales) the Arts Council is not in a position to make large capital awards.
	Decisions on individual arts lottery awards are a matter for the Arts Council and are made independently of Government, although I welcome the awards made.
	The current condition of the Lyric Theatre is one of a number of identified weaknesses in Belfast's arts infrastructure. My Department is working with the Arts Council to develop an investment strategy for addressing these deficiencies, building on the lottery funding already committed by the Arts Council.

National Stadium

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on (a) the progress with the search for a site for the proposed National Stadium for Northern Ireland and (b) the proposed timescale of the project.

Angela Smith: Recently, I invited the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) to undertake a robust business planning exercise to consider whether a multi-sports stadium to accommodate Soccer, Rugby and Gaelic Games is a long-term, commercially viable proposition in revenue terms. The issue of location is not being addressed at this stage but may be considered if the viability of a multi-sports stadium is established.

Planning Policy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in reviewing the remit and powers of the Planning Appeals Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) was subject to a quinquennial review during 2002 and the report of that review is available on the OFMDFM website (http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/pac/pacreport/index.htm).
	The purpose of the quinquennial review was to consider three main issues: the need for the functions performed by the PAC, organisational options for delivery of these functions and the performance of the PAC in meeting the needs identified.
	There are no plans at present to conduct a further review.

Police Service

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be adopting the colour vision requirements arising from his Department's review of the medical assessment process for police recruits.

Ian Pearson: The Home Office undertook a review of police recruitment medical standards. Part of this work entailed a review of the eyesight standards relating to both visual acuity and colour vision. The work was completed last year and the recommendations introduced in England and Wales.
	When the new standard was introduced PSNI considered the findings. An area of concern centred on the fact that the new standards took no cognisance of handling firearms safely since this is not a requirement for officers in England and Wales.
	It was therefore decided not to adopt the new standard until the particular circumstances pertaining to PSNI were reviewed. A research project has been established to ascertain the justifiable requirements for visual standards for recruits to PSNI.
	PSNI are presently awaiting the findings of this research, which will be considered in association with the standards in England and Wales.

Policing Board

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings of (a) the Northern Ireland Policing Board, (b) its sub-committees and (c) other events related to their membership each member of the board (i) was entitled to attend and (ii) actually attended.

Ian Pearson: The information requested in respect of meetings of the Northern Ireland Policing Board is detailed in the following table.
	In respect of the information relating to attendance at sub committees and other events I would invite my hon. Friend to write directly to the Chairman of the Policing Board for Northern Ireland at the following address.
	Professor Desmond Rea,
	Chairman
	Policing Board for Northern Ireland,
	Waterside Tower,
	31 Clarendon Road,
	Clarendon Dock,
	Belfast
	BT1 3BG.
	
		Attendance at Northern Ireland Policing Board meetings held during the period 4November 2001 to 30April 2004
		
			 Member Number of meetings attended (possible) 
		
		
			 Mr. Alex Attwood 28 (29) 
			 Mr. Denis Bradley (Vice Chairman) 28 (29) 
			 Viscount Brookeborough 25 (29) 
			 Mr. Joe Byrne 27 (29) 
			 Mr. Fred Cobain 28 (29) 
			 Mr. Ivan Davis 5 (5) 
			 Mr. Brian Dougherty 27 (29) 
			 Mr. Sam Foster 23 (24) 
			 Mr. Barry Gilligan 28 (29) 
			 Mr. Willie Hay 26 (29) 
			 Mr. Tom Kelly 21 (29) 
			 Lord Kilclooney 18 (29) 
			 Mr. James Leslie 5 (5) 
			 Mrs. Pauline McCabe 28 (29) 
			 Mr. Alan McFarland 24 (24) 
			 Mr. Eddie McGrady 22 (29) 
			 Mrs. Rosaleen Moore 25 (29) 
			 Mr. Ian Paisley Jnr. 29 (29) 
			 Prof Desmond Rea (Chairman) 29 (29) 
			 Mr. Suniel Sharma 21 (29) 
			 Mr. Sammy Wilson 29 (29) 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The total number of board meetings that it would have been possible for each member to attend is shown in brackets.
	2. Mr. Ivan Davis and Mr. James Leslie left the board on 19 February 2002 and were replaced by Mr. Sam Foster and Mr. Alan McFarland on 20 February 2002.

School Transport

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend the relevant legislation to reduce the number of pupils Translink is entitled to carry on each school bus journey.

Angela Smith: Home-to-school bus transport was the subject of an extensive inquiry instigated by the Northern Ireland Assembly's Environment Committee. The Department of the Environment is at present engaged in the initial stages of preparing a Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Committee's main recommendations, including those aimed at reducing the number of children permitted to travel on each bus. The way forward will be considered in the light of findings arising from this exercise.

Tourist Board

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much capital grant has been paid by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in each parliamentary constituency during the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The total capital grant paid by the NITB in each parliamentary constituency during the last five years is as follows.
	
		Financial assistance paid to all tourism projects by constituency -- 
		
			 Constituency 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total 
		
		
			 Across all constituencies and Cross border 5,295 76,143 54,740 34,842 500 171,520 
			 Belfast, East 38,300 2,200 2,000 10,500 26,000 79,000 
			 Belfast, North 213,256 232,515 15,529 5,000 2,000 468,300 
			 Belfast, South 555,579 1,335,651 1,941,769 16,686 13,801 3,863,486 
			 Belfast, West 3,461 20,000 741,500 20,000 0 784,961 
			 East Antrim 4595 74,613 1,004,280 132,330 700 1,252,518 
			 East Londonderry 58,975 680,564 424,041 394,880 30,114 1,588,574 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 490,529 513,891 1,529,299 216,671 3,000 2,753,390 
			 Foyle 394,825 671,388 516,529 2,606,564 26,189 4,215,495 
			 Lagan Valley 5,600 73,716 23,837 27,788 3,800 134,741 
			 Mid Ulster 44,738 37,786 230,574 119,655 30,825 463,578 
			 Newry and Armagh 160,642 387,311 1,442,727 1,749,394 46,693 3,786,767 
			 North Antrim 386,518 952,746 1,060,944 119,013 10,573 2,529,794 
			 North Down 52,106 43,939 12,527 10,700 26,000 145,272 
			 South Antrim 1,290,105 52,856 93,735 98,842 2,000 1,537,538 
			 South Down 1,165,554 2,335,992 821,966 286,707 15,555 4,625,774 
			 Strangford 356,175 69,390 248,675 5,000 65,911 745,151 
			 Upper Bann 70,185 2,059 46,136 13,806 500 132,686 
			 West Tyrone 149,069 356,287 235,418 4,369 0 745,143 
			 Totals 5,481,507 7,919,047 10,446,226 5,872,747 304,161 30,023,688

Triple Test (Pregnant Women)

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines have been issued to each of the Northern Ireland health boards regarding the triple test for pregnant women.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 25 March 2004, Official Report, column 954W.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Social Security Appeals

Frank Field: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he expects the appeal lodged with the social security commissioners by John Sheridan of Birkenhead to be heard.

David Lammy: Mr. Sheridan's application to set aside the previous Commissioners' ruling of 6 January 2004, which deemed the application for Leave to Appeal to be Out of Time, is currently before a Social Security Commissioner for consideration of the grounds. A notice will be issued to all parties in the coming weeks.

19th Century Census

David Borrow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs in which year MyFamily.com. Inc. is likely to make the census for (a) 1861, (b) 1871, (c) 1881 and (d) 1891 available on the internet.

Christopher Leslie: The census returns 18611891 for England and Wales are included in the non-exclusive licence granted by the National Archives to MyFamily.com. The timing of the public release of the material covered by non-exclusive licences is entirely a matter for the company concerned.
	MyFamily.com has announced on its website that the 1891 Census returns for England and Wales are now available online. The 1871 Census returns are also in the early stages of release on their website. There is currently no information on its website relating to the release of the 1861 or 1881 Census returns.

19th Century Census

David Borrow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the non-exclusive licence was granted to MyFamily.com Inc. to digitise the decennial population census return from 1841 to 1901; and at what rate a royalty charge is made for the licence.

Christopher Leslie: MyFamily.com was granted a non-exclusive licence agreement with the National Archives to digitise and distribute images of the enumerators' census returns for England and Wales 18411891 in June 2002, with a subsequent amendment in September 2002 to include the 1901 Census returns.
	In line with HMSO guidelines, the royalty rate for such a non-exclusive licence is a flat 7 per cent. of net revenues.

Crown Courts

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance is given to Crown courts regarding the provision of facilities for the press; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The Court Standards and Design Guide sets out the accommodation requirements for courts and includes provision for a press assembly room at all Crown court centres for use by members of the press attending court. The number of courtrooms in the building determines the size of the room. Dedicated seating for members of the press is also provided within each courtroom. Additional facilities can be made available for the press where there is a specific need, such as when a court is hearing a case attracting high public interest.

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what   percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture.

Christopher Leslie: The vast majority of my Department's catering requirements are provided by contracts which include the provision of crockery, cutlery and glassware. When my Department procures these products directly it is done locally, on an ad hoc basis. Detailed information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

European Constitution Referendum

Llew Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his policy is on the apportionment of public funds to the (a) No and (b) Yes campaigns on the European Constitution Referendum.

Christopher Leslie: The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 makes the Electoral Commission responsible for distributing public funds to the designated organisations that will serve as the No and Yes campaigns in any referendum. The legislation provides for grants from the Electoral Commission of up to 600,000 to be distributed to each designated organisation.
	Each designated organisation is allowed to send one   referendum address free of charge; to use, on application, public rooms such as schools and libraries free of charge for holding public meetings in the 28 days ending with the day before the date of the poll; and is entitled to referendum campaign broadcasts, the length and frequency of which will be determined by the licensing body having regard to any views expressed by the Electoral Commission.

Fine Collection

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the collection of fines imposed by magistrates' courts in (a) Chorley, (b) Leyland, (c) Preston, (d) Blackburn and (e) West Lancashire.

Christopher Leslie: Data on the collection of fines is collected at Magistrates' Court Committee (MCC) level. I am therefore only able to provide data for Lancashire MCC as a whole. There has been a steady improvement in the fine collection performance of Lancashire MCC over the last year. The payment rate stood at 90 per cent. in the last quarter of the 200304 financial year, against the national payment rate of 76 per cent. for the same period.

Fine Collection

Dari Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the collection of fines imposed by magistrates' courts in Stockton South.

Christopher Leslie: Data on the collection of fines is collected at Magistrates' Court Committee (MCC) level. I am therefore only able to provide data for Cleveland MCC as a whole. There has been a steady improvement in the fine collection performance of the Cleveland MCC over the last year. The 200304 payment rate stands at 91 per cent. at the end of March 2004 against the national payment rate of 76 per cent. in the last quarter of the 200304 financial year.

Older People

Steve Webb: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs for what (a) initiatives, (b) campaigns and (c) advisory bodies relating to older people his Department and its predecessor (i) is responsible and (ii) has provided funding since 2001; and what the cost in each year was for each one.

David Lammy: For the last two years, my Department has been a member of the Employers Forum on Age and paid a subscription of 2,115 in 2002 and again in 2003.
	My Department is also responsible for policy on mental incapacity, which affects a significant number of older people, and plans to introduce legislation better to protect those affected by incapacity.
	From 1 April, the Public Guardianship Office, whose role is to protect the finances of people with mental incapacity has embarked on a project to raise awareness of its services. Activities are being piloted in Dorset and will include things such as having leaflets in doctors' surgeries, as well as being available to district and practice nurses. Information will also be given to Pension Service staff running pension clinics/surgeries, as well as to relevant local authority staff
	Details of other relevant initiatives are provided in the table below:
	
		
		
			 Name of Initiative Funding 2001 Funding 2002 Funding 2003 
		
		
			 Establishment of a mental Incapacity Consultative Forum involving a wide range of stakeholders including organisations representing older people.  5,000 5,000 
			 Review and improvement of the procedures for creating Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) to better enable people to plan for the future by delegating decision making about financial affairs to relatives, friends or professionals in the event of loss of mental capacity.  No funding involved as the professionals involved in the working group did so on a voluntary basis. No funding involved as the professionals involved in the working group did so on a voluntary basis. 
			 Research projectThe role of the Public Guardianship Office in safeguarding vulnerable adults against financial abuse (Funded by the Public Guardianship Office)   60,000 
			 Publication of the Draft Mental Incapacity Bill   Ongoing 
			 Making Decisions BookletPlanning for future incapacity   10,000 approx.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Brazil

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK Government has made to the Government of Brazil over its stance on international inspection access to its uranium enrichment facilities.

Denis MacShane: As with all other states that have not done so, we regularly urge Brazil to sign and ratify the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which covers access to facilities by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.
	Discussions between the Government of Brazil and the IAEA concerning access are continuing, and we look forward to a satisfactory outcome in due course.

Colombia

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the plans of President Uribe in Colombia to pass a constitutional amendment in order to allow him to run for a second term; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Through our Embassy in Bogota we are monitoring the on-going debate within Colombia on the question of allowing a serving or former President to stand for re-election. Clearly such a step must be agreed through the proper constitutional channels. This is an internal matter for the people of Colombia and their elected representatives to decide, and one that would involve a lengthy legislative process including approval from the country's Constitutional Court. In any event, we will continue to work with the democratically elected Government of Colombia on issues of mutual interest.

Colombia

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for   Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Colombian Government concerning the protection of human rights defenders in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We make frequent representations to the Government of Colombia on human rights matters, including the important issue of the safety of human rights defenders. Human rights are at the heart of our policy towards Colombia. Our Embassy in Bogota last discussed these issues with the Colombian Government on 21 April. The need to respect human rights defenders and the work of their organisations was highlighted in the statement by the Chairperson on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia at the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva only last month. It was also underlined in the EU statement on Colombia at the same forum.

Cuba

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the mission in Havana concerning the commencement of the trial of the human rights dissident Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva.

Bill Rammell: Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva was tried and found guilty, at his trial on 26 April 2004, of disrespect for authority, public disorder, disobedience and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to four years. At the time of his trial. Mr. Leiva had already spent two years in jail without trial. He was released by the court on 26 April, under terms similar to parole. The trial was originally scheduled for 27 April but was brought forward by a day at short notice, presumably to avoid attendance by international observers.
	The EU regularly issues statements condemning the imprisonment of human rights activists, and most recently, on 12 March 2004, we again called upon the Cuban Government to release without delay all the imprisoned dissidents.

Cuba

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for   Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government requested observer status at the trial in Cuba of Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Officials of the British Embassy in Havana did not request observer status at the trial, but have followed Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva's case closely and have been in regular contact with his family. Embassy officials spoke to Mr Leiva on Tuesday 27 April, a day after his trial.

Cuba

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government has made to the Cuban Government concerning the imprisonment of human rights activists in Cuba; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: UK policy on Cuba is governed by the   EU Common Position, which has human rights enshrined as its key principle. The EU regularly issues statements condemning the imprisonment of human rights activists and other political prisoners. Most recently, on 12 March 2004 we called upon the Cuban Government to reflect on the significance of the granting of the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize to Raul Rivero and again called for the release of all the imprisoned dissidents. I also raised our concerns at these imprisonments with the Cuban Ambassador in London.

Departmental Officials

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which former officials of the Department have asked for permission to join (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers. (b) Deloitte  Touche, (c) Ernst and Young and (d) KPMG.

Mike O'Brien: pursuant to his answer, 3 March 2004, Official Report, c. 978W
	I have become aware that Sir Andrew Woods, ex-Ambassador to Moscow sought permission in April 2000 to join Ernst and Young, and took up the appointment in May 2000. This was listed in the Fourth Report of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. I am unaware of any former officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who since 1998 have asked for permission to join   PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte  Touche or KPMG.
	To locate individual requests from officials earlier than 1998 would incur disproportionate costs.

EU Constitution

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money, and what assistance in kind, his Department is giving to   support the Conference on the proposed EU Constitution organised by the Federal Trust and scheduled to take place on 1 and 2 July 2004; and how much money his Department (a) has committed and (b) plans to commit to support events which are favourably disposed towards UK accession to a treaty creating an EU constitution.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will provide a speaker and 2,000 to fund the associated lunch for the conference to take place on 1 and 2 July organised by the Federal Trust for Education and   Research and the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES). This is an academic event co-organised by the main coordinating body of academics interested in Europe (UACES), and seeks to debate rather than 'promote' the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. Agreement has not yet been reached on the EU Constitutional Treaty and decisions on funding of related events will be taken in due course.

EU Constitution

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way the proposed European constitution takes into consideration cultural and religious diversity.

Denis MacShane: Article 1.3.3 of the draft EU Constitution states that, as one of its objectives, the Union shall respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity and shall ensure that Europe's cultural heritage is safeguarded and enhanced. Article 1.51 makes it clear that while religion remains a matter for individual Member States, the Union equally respects the status of all religious and secular organisations.

European Council of Ministers

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a   statement on (a) the transitional arrangements for   voting and (b) the qualified majority voting requirements in the Council of Ministers.

Denis MacShane: Under the terms of the 2003 Treaty of Accession, which came into force on 1 May 2004, the new Member States have been incorporated into the present system of voting in the Council of Ministers.
	The allocation of votes when the Council is required to act by a qualified majority is as follows:
	Belgium5
	Czech Republic5
	Denmark3
	Germany 10
	Estonia3
	Greece5
	Spain8
	France 10
	Ireland3
	Italy 10
	Cyprus2
	Latvia3
	Lithuania3
	Luxembourg2
	Hungary5
	Malta2
	Netherlands5
	Austria4
	Poland8
	Portugal5
	Slovenia3
	Slovakia3
	Finland3
	Sweden4
	United Kingdom 10
	For their adoption, acts of the Council require at least 88 votes in favour cast by at least two-thirds of the members.
	This will continue until the new voting arrangements under the Treaty of Nice come into effect on 1 November 2004.

Gaza Strip

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning the effect of border restrictions on the ability of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to distribute emergency food aid to refugees in the Gaza Strip.

Mike O'Brien: We have made clear to the Israeli Charge in London and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel, our view that the restrictions placed on UN Relief and Works Agency aid operations at Erez crossings are inconsistent with Israel's acknowledgement that humanitarian assistance should be provided to the Palestinian population. We have urged the Israeli Government to ensure aid agencies have clear guidelines concerning access to Gaza and that restrictions are significantly eased. The EU Presidency was lobbied along similar lines.

Indonesia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia concerning (a) the attack by masked gunmen on Christians at the Tabernacle Church in Kilo Village, Poso District, Sulawesi, (b) the murder of the Reverend Freddy Wuisan, (c) the shooting of Rosia Pilongo, the Dean of the Law Department of Sintuwu Maroso University, Silawesi, and (d) the shooting of Jhon Christian Tanalida close to Poso City, Silawesi.

Mike O'Brien: The British Ambassador in Jakarta last raised our concerns about the situation in Central Sulawesi, including the cases referred to at a meeting with the Coordinating Minister for Welfare on 20 April 2004. We continue to urge the Indonesian Government to do all they can to ensure the safety and security of communities that have been affected by the violence in Central Sulawesi.
	Together with our European partners we are in regular dialogue with the Indonesian Government and urge them to encourage religious freedom, maintain law and order and promote reconciliation in areas of conflict. We also seek opportunities to work with the Indonesian authorities on measures to resolve inter-communal violence in areas such as Sulawesi. We welcome the Indonesian Government's initiatives to bring peace to its troubled provinces.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many incidents of (a) unlawful destruction of property and (b) collective punishment there were in each month since the end of the original major conflict in Iraq, in the sector controlled by the British occupying forces.

Bill Rammell: The UK strongly denies allegations that we have been involved in collective punishments, including the destruction of property, and would fully investigate any such allegation. Where property or land has been destroyed during the course of coalition activities we understand that the owners have been compensated.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether all public servants acting on behalf of the United Kingdom in Iraq after the hand-over of sovereignty will continue to enjoy legal immunity in Iraqi law.

Mike O'Brien: We are finalising the detailed arrangements for the transition. An important element of those arrangements will be to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to safeguard the legal position of UK public servants after the handover of power to the Iraqi Interim Government.

Israel (Targeted Assassinations)

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards Israel's targeted assassinations policy.

Mike O'Brien: We have repeatedly made clear to the Government of Israel that their policy of targeted assassinations is illegal, unjustified and counter-productive. Both Israel and the Palestinians must refrain from actions that may further escalate tensions, including any more such killings.

Maldives

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign   and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's relations with the Maldives.

Bill Rammell: The UK enjoys good relations with the Maldives, a fellow member of the Commonwealth. The British High Commissioner in Colombo (accredited to the Maldives) visits regularly, most recently from 19 to 22 March when he met the Foreign Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs among others.

Maldives

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Commonwealth has taken to encourage multi-party politics in the Maldives.

Mike O'Brien: It is for the Commonwealth Secretariat to comment on any action they may have taken to encourage multi-party politics in the Maldives. The Commonwealth Secretary General visited the Maldives in January 2003.

Maldives

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official contacts his   Department has had with representatives of the Democratic Party of the Maldives.

Mike O'Brien: Officials in London and at our High Commission in Colombo (accredited to the Maldives) have met representatives of the Maldivian Democratic Party several times, most recently on 24 March.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what means other than the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty the Government are seeking to use to (a) strengthen the inspection and monitoring of uranium enrichment facilities and (b) restrict the extension of such facilities.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 6 May 2004
	As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear in his statement of 25 February 2004, Official Report, columns 4649WS, on Weapons of Mass Destruction, recent experience has shown there is a need for more wide-ranging inspections of national nuclear industries. The   International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Additional Protocol provides the basis for carrying out such inspections. We seek universal adherence to the Additional Protocol and believe suppliers of nuclear technology should increasingly see this as a key commitment when they judge export licence applications. We are working with partners to enhance the effectiveness of the IAEA and strengthen its ability to ensure that nations comply with their safeguards agreements.
	There is a strong argument that states which fail to comply with their safeguards obligations should forfeit the right to develop the nuclear fuel cycle, particularly the enrichment and reprocessing capabilities which are of such proliferation sensitivity. This would not deprive them of the possibility of constructing and running civil nuclear power stations but would prevent a seemingly civil programme masking a weapons programme.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the UK Government have taken to (a) support and (b) implement the Proliferation Security Initiative.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 6 May 2004
	Since the launch of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) in May 2003 the UK has been one of a core group of countries working to drive the initiative forward. This has involved intensive worldwide lobbying efforts in support of the Statement of Interdiction Principles agreed at Paris in September 2003. To date, more than 60 countries have expressed their support for PSI and their intention to apply its principles.
	We want the PSI to become an established, accepted and effective part of the international security architecture. To that end, we are working with partners in the context of the International Maritime Organisation to make it an internationally recognised offence to transport weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems and related materials on commercial vessels. To extend the legal base of interdiction operations we are opening negotiations with major commercial flag states to allow for the boarding of vessels which may be carrying cargoes which could be used in WMD programmes. We are currently examining a range of measures to deter proliferators and further raise the political and economic costs of trafficking in WMD.
	We will continue to take the necessary steps to strengthen our capacity to act effectively as and when required to take action consistent with the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to prevent the proliferation of missile and nuclear weapon technology from North Korea.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 6 May 2004
	The Government support fully the six-party talks process aimed at ensuring compliance by North Korea with the   ideals of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, and persuading them to comply with their obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
	We are also playing a principal role in the Proliferation Security Initiative which, while it does not specifically target any particular state, aims to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and technology associated with such weapons.

Peru

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what reports the UK mission in Peru has received concerning the date of the review of the case of Walter Cubas Balathazar; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations the Government have made to the Peruvian Government (a) in support of Mr. Cubas Balathazar and (b) in opposition to his detention; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Our Embassy in Lima raised the matter with the Ministry of Justice in July and November 2002, and again this April. We understand from the Peruvian authorities that the first hearing of Walter Cubas Balathazar's re-trial before the normal criminal justice system will be held on 14 May 2004. Our Embassy will continue to monitor closely this and all other similar cases. We support the Peruvian Government's efforts to improve and protect human rights for all Peruvians. We maintain a good dialogue with Peru on human rights.

DEFENCE

Arctic Convoys

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those who served on the Arctic convoys during the Second World War received the Russian 40th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War medal.

Ivor Caplin: The Royal Navy Medal Office issued approximately 15,000 Russian 40th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War medals during the early 1990s to eligible Royal Navy, Royal Marine, Army, Royal Air Force and Merchant Navy personnel. It would not be possible to provide a more precise figure without a manual trawl through the relevant service records at disproportionate cost. In addition the Russian Embassy in London issued medals directly to members of both the Russian Convoy Club and the North Russia Club, but the numbers involved are not known.

Arctic Convoys

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those who served on the Arctic Convoys during the Second World War received the Atlantic Star.

Ivor Caplin: There is no definitive Medal Roll which indicates how many people received the Atlantic Star. It would not, therefore, be possible to establish how many recipients of the Atlantic Star sailed in Arctic waters on the convoys to Russia without undertaking an individual check of all the wartime personnel records which could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Arctic Convoys

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has made of the cost to the Department of awarding a medal for service on the Arctic convoys.

Ivor Caplin: It is not possible to determine with any certainty how many people served in Arctic waters during the Second World War, but it is estimated that more than 95,000 Royal Navy personnel may have done so. The cost of issuing a new medal to Royal Navy veterans alone, including staff costs and the cost of the medal itself, would be at least 14 million if all those eligible or their next of kin applied.

Catterick Barracks (Medical Personnel)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are based at Catterick Barracks, broken down by (a) service, (b) rank and (c) specialisation.

Ivor Caplin: There are 32 medical personnel, six GPs and 26 Combat Medical Technicians, based at Catterick Garrison, all of whom are Army personnel. They are ranked as follows: two Lieutenant Colonels; one Major; three Captains; one Colour Sergeant; three Sergeants; four Corporals; five Lance Corporals and 13 Privates.

Defence Agencies (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many people worked for (a) the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in Scotland and (b) the Defence Secondary Care Agency in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1 April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people worked for the (a) Veterans Agency, (b) British Forces Post Office, (c) Defence Vetting Agency and (d) Defence Medical Education and Training Agency in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1 April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many people worked for (a) the Armed Forces Personnel and Administration Agency, (b) the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (c) Defence Estates and (d) the Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency in Scotland on 1st April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1st April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many people worked for (a) the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, (b) the Defence Export Services Organisation in Scotland, (c) the Defence Medical Services in Scotland and (d) the Base Repair Organisation in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how many people worked for the (a) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (b) Medical Supplies Agency, (c) Defence Communications Services Agency and (d) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1 April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  how many people worked for the (a) RAF Personnel Manning Agency, (b) RAF Training Group Defence Agency, (c) Warship Support Agency and (d) Defence Procurement Agency in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1 April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  how many people worked for (a) the Disposal Services Agency, (b) the Pay and Personnel Agency, (c) the Defence Aviation Repair Agency and (d) the Meteorological Office in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1 April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(8)  how many people worked for (a) the Naval Manning Agency, (b) Service Children's Education, (c) the Duke of York's Royal Military School and (d) the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1 April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(9)  how many people worked for the (a) Army Personnel Centre, (b) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) Defence Dental Agency and (d) Defence Bills Agency in Scotland on 1 April; what the overall personnel costs were for each agency (i) on that date and (ii) on 1April 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Information on the number of Service personnel at regional level is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on Civilian personnel at regional level for 1 April 2004 and for personnel expenditure by the organisations named for 200304 is not yet available.
	The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was   disestablished on 1 July 2001, when two new organisations, QinetiQ plc and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), were created. QinetiQ is a public limited company, and all operational inquiries should be directed to its Chief Executive. DSTL remains a part of the Ministry of Defence.
	The Defence Secondary Care Agency was abolished on 1 April 2003 and its education functions transferred to the Defence Medical Education and Training Agency; its remaining functions were transferred to Defence Medical Services.
	I will write to the hon. Member in due course and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Personnel (Vale of York)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when he expects details of numbers of service and civilian personnel in the Vale of York for July 2003 to become available;
	(2)  how many service personnel were serving in the Vale of York on 27 April.

Ivor Caplin: Service personnel data by local authority is published in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 10. Currently the Defence Analytical Services Agency are reviewing the source data and process by which location statistics are produced so data from TSP10 as at 1 July 2002 is the latest available. An investigation into the viability of the inclusion of Parliamentary Constituency data will be conducted as part of the review. The target date for completion of the review is December 2004.
	The number of civilian personnel working for the Ministry of Defence as at 1 July 2003 in Yorkshire and the Humber was 3,080. The latest available figure is 3,160 as at 1 March 2004.
	The numbers are for permanent, full-time equivalent staff, non-industrial and industrial, including Trading Funds and excluding those on career breaks, long term sick leave, secondment etc. Reliable data are not available as follows:
	Government Office Region level.

Green Minister

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the meetings at which his Department has been present regarding the delivery of sustainable development across Government as co-ordinated by the Ministerial Sub-Committee of Green Ministers;
	(2)  what work his Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in that capacity; and what meetings his Department's Green Minister has attended in the last 12 months in that capacity.

Ivor Caplin: I represent the Ministry of Defence on the Ministerial Sub-Committee of Green Ministers. It has been established practice under successive Governments not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees. This practice is now formalised by Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, my work as the Ministry of Defence's Green Minister involves regular correspondence outside that committee with Government Ministers in order to ensure that the Ministry of Defence's interests in environmental and sustainable development issues are fully and properly represented.

Iraq

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the number of (a) private military companies and (b) British private military companies working in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	We are not aware of any private military companies (UK or otherwise) operating in Iraq in military operations. A number of British (and other) private security companies are providing security advice and assistance to the reconstruction effort. The number of security personnel working in Iraq fluctuates, but we are aware of up to 1,000 British nationals working in this sector.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any member of the UK armed forces has been charged in relation to the deaths of civilians in Iraq caused by Coalition action.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 4 May 2004
	) As at 30 April 2004, no member of the United Kingdom armed forces had been charged in relation to the deaths of civilians in Iraq.

Land Release (Hampshire)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2004, Official Report, column 662W on land releases (Hampshire), when he expects to complete the review on estate rationalisation relating to (a) Arborfield, (b) Deepcut and (c) Bordon/Whitehill.

Ivor Caplin: As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State advised in his written statement on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 2WS, the Defence Training Review identified Arborfield, Deepcut and Bordon as sites that are likely to be surplus to Defence requirements.
	Any decisions on any of these sites will be announced to the House in the usual way but none have been taken to date.

Low Flying

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid in compensation to farmers for livestock losses caused by low flying military aircraft in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in each year since 1994.

Ivor Caplin: The information is not held in the format requested, but the value of compensation paid (inclusive of legal costs) in relation to livestock losses caused by low flying military aircraft in England, Scotland and Wales for each financial year since 1994 is as follows:
	
		
		
			  Amount paid 
		
		
			 19934 337,569 
			 19945 259,814 
			 19956 261,328 
			 19967 169,092 
			 19978 169,867 
			 19989 401,326 
			 19992000 220,112 
			 20001 491,663 
			 20012 272,334 
			 20023 236,453 
			 20034 330,082

Low Flying

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training sorties have been undertaken within the mid-Wales military tactical training area by military aircraft flying below 250 feet in each year since 1994 for which figures are available.

Ivor Caplin: The amount of military low flying that takes place in the United Kingdom is better expressed in hours rather than by number of sorties, which can vary significantly from minutes to several hours. The information is only available for the last four training years, as previously the data was compiled in a different manner. The figures for the training year 200304 are due to be published in the next statement on the pattern of military low flying that will be available to the House in Summer 2004.
	The following information reflects the actual amount of operational low flying carried out within 7T, the tactical training area in mid-Wales. These statistics are consistent with the information provided annually in the statement on the pattern of military low flying.
	Training year
	1999200038 hours 8 minutes
	20000125 hours 21 minutes
	20010230 hours 23 minutes
	20020333 hours 12 minutes

Low Flying

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) representations and (b) complaints have been received by the (i) RAF and (ii) Department about low flying military aircraft in (A) England, (B) Scotland and (C) Wales in each year since 1994.

Ivor Caplin: In maintaining our records we do not differentiate between representations and complaints; all complaints, whether received centrally or at individual establishments are recorded on a central database and it is not possible to distinguish between them. Detailed records are only retained for three years; it is therefore not possible to provide the information requested for earlier years.
	The number of complaints received based on information provided by the complainant for (A) England, (B) Scotland, (C) Wales regarding military low flying over the last three training years are outlined in the table.
	
		
			  200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 England 3,003 3,194 3,248 
			 Scotland 759 687 831 
			 Wales 496 454 488 
			 Isle of Man 0 1 1 
			 No county provided 11 13 11 
			 Total 4,269 4,349 4,579

MOD Sites (Portsmouth)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on his Department's land bounded by Halliday Crescent, Melville Road and Henderson Road in Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The site formed part of the married quarter estate transfer to Annington Homes in November 1996. No trace of any records can be found on any research for the site, although legal searches into title in connection with the sale would have been completed at the time.

Nepal

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the items of military equipment gifted to the Government of Nepal since January 2000.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 12 March 2004, Official Report, column 1789W by my hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Rammell) which listed all equipment gifted to the Government of Nepal under the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. In addition to this, a Departmental Minute has recently been placed before the House of Commons setting out the intention to gift two Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) Islander aircraft, radios and Explosive Ordnance Disposal equipment to the Government of Nepal.

Nepal

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the methods the Government employs to ensure that military helicopters it has provided to the Royal Nepalese Army are only   used for logistical, medical and humanitarian purposes.

Adam Ingram: A letter of agreement was signed by the Nepalese Chief of the Army Staff and by HM Ambassador. This set out the understanding on which the two MI-17 transport helicopters were being gifted to the Government of Nepal. In particular, it was specified that the helicopters were being gifted as part of the non-lethal support the UK provided to support the Government's campaign against the Maoist insurgency. It was further agreed that combat and attack roles were precluded for the lifetime of the aircraft, and that thehelicopters would only be used for logistic, humanitarian and medical purposes. We have no grounds to believe that the aircraft gifted by the UK have been misused.

Nuclear Weapons

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence   pursuant to his answer of 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 339W, on nuclear contingent liability arrangements, what criteria he used to determine what constituted an objection.

Adam Ingram: The ways in which a Member of Parliament can object to a contingent liability are as detailed in Government Accounting 2000 Paragraph 26.4.7.

Nuclear Weapons

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the importance of nuclear deterrence as a military strategy in the war against terrorism.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 January 2004, Official Report, column 577W, to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many NSQEP personnel in the UK are able to maintain the UK's nuclear weapons and naval nuclear reactors; what their age profile is; what their names are; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the adequacy of the supply of people suitably qualified and experienced to maintain (a) the UK's nuclear weapons and (b) the Royal Navy nuclear reactors; what steps the Government is taking to secure the supply of people with such qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: In the United Kingdom, there are some 10,000 (as at December 2002) Nuclear Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (NSQEP) who are able to support the MOD's nuclear weapon and nuclear propulsion programmes. Personal details of these individuals are not held centrally in the MOD. However, the number of shore-based NSQEP employed by the MOD in support of these programmes is some 1,400. Their average age is 49.
	Throughout 2002 the MOD's NSQEP Head of Profession actively participated in a cross-Government Department Nuclear and Radiological Skills study that provided an estimate of the adequacy of personnel to support the UK's nuclear and radiological sector. The report identified that while there is no immediate overall general cause for concern, there are a number of shortages in some disciplines. There are, however, concerns about the general age profile and the supply of suitably qualified and experienced personnel to replace those who retire over the next 15 years. One aspect of the Government response to the Nuclear and Radiological Skills study, in line with the Government Skills Strategy, was the development and licensing, in March 2004, of a Sector Skills Council for the UK's nuclear sector. The MOD's NSQEP Head of Profession co-ordinates Defence Nuclear skills interests at the Industry Nuclear Skills Group and engages closely with the Sector Skills Council.

Nuclear Weapons

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on safety reviews conducted on nuclear submarines.

Adam Ingram: Safety reviews on nuclear submarines are conducted routinely at several levels in accordance with rigorous and well-rehearsed procedures. Prior to sailing, rigorous checks are undertaken to validate all aspects of a vessel's seaworthiness. Regular safety reviews, that comply fully with legal requirements, are also carried out on board to ensure the material state of the submarine is monitored and maintained.

Nuclear Weapons

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on research and development of low yield nuclear weapons in the UK.

Adam Ingram: No such research or development is being undertaken.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost is of (a) designing and (b) manufacturing a new nuclear warhead; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The December 2003 Defence White Paper clearly stated the Government's position that decisions on whether to replace Trident are likely to be required in the next Parliament. The costs of the design and manufacture of any nuclear warhead would depend on a range of factors, and these will be considered as part of any such decision.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the age profile is of the staff of (a) his Department's Chief Scientific Advisor and (b) the maintenance contractor SERCO who possess the qualifications necessary to (i) maintain the design intent of the current nuclear warheads and (ii) design the next generation of warheads; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are several staff working in the Chief Scientific Adviser's area in support of, and providing advice on the nuclear weapons programme, a number of whom have previously worked at AWE. However, with the exception of one AWE secondee, they are not qualified to conduct nuclear warhead design work, since only AWE plc, the design authority under the contract, can qualify people to undertake such work.
	MOD's contract for the management and operation of AWE sites is with AWE Management Limited (AWE ML), a consortium of three equal partners, including SERCO. Responsibility for the day-to-day management of AWE sites is delegated to a separate company, AWE plc, which is owned by AWE ML.
	It is not possible to categorise the capabilities of qualified AWE plc personnel in the way requested. However, the following table provides data on those AWE plc employees engaged in maintaining the relevant research and development capabilities who are formally qualified to degree level and above.
	
		
			Age range Percentage age of total formally qualified and employed in R and D Numbers employed in R and D who are qualified to degree level and above 
		
		
			 20 to 30 26 212 
			 31 to 40 34 282 
			 41 to 50 23 194 
			 51 to 60 15 121 
			 60 plus 2 21 
			
			 Total 100 830

Wind Farms

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for   Defence how many wind farm applications his Department has been consulted upon; and to how many of these objections were made.

Ivor Caplin: Under arrangements agreed with the British Wind Energy Association, Civil Aviation Authority and DTI, the Ministry of Defence is voluntarily consulted by wind farm developers. Since 1 January 2000, the date from which accurate records have been maintained, some 3,139 proposals have been received of which we have been unable to approve 1,040.
	As regards formal planning applications for the construction of wind farms upon which MOD has been consulted by the planning authority, some 58 have been notified, of which we have objected to nine.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Over-70s Payment

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the 100 payment for people aged 70 or over that was announced in the 2004 Budget statement will be made.

Malcolm Wicks: The intention is for the payments to be made automatically with the 200405 winter fuel payment, to those who are eligible and who do not need to claim it, before the end of the year. People who do not get a winter fuel payment will need to claim the one-off payment from the Department for Work and Pensions before 31 March 2005.

Child Support Agency

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Child Support Agency will be able to refund the money owed to the constituent of the hon. Member for Walsall, North, ref: 321042956341.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr David Winnick, dated 10 May 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked, when the Child Support Agency will be able to refund the money owed to the constituent of the hon. Member for Walsall North ref: 321042956341.
	As individual cases are confidential, I will write to you separately about it. This is in line with Para 12, Part 2, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply from the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency to his letter of 24 March concerning a constituent, ref. PCO 130778.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. David Winnick, dated 10 May 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked when the honourable Member for Walsall North will receive a reply from the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency to his letter of 24th March concerning a constituent, ref PCU 130778.
	A full response to your letter of 24 March was issued on 7 May 2004. I apologise for the delay in providing this.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 1 April with regard to Mr. Alan McCabe.

Andrew Smith: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 4 May.

Disability Living Allowance

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of families containing one or more children in receipt of disability living allowance have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary incomes (a) before and (b) after housing costs, excluding any disability living allowance received.

Maria Eagle: 30 per cent. of families with children, in receipt of disability living allowance have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income before housing costs. 42 per cent. of families with children, in receipt of disability living allowance have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income after housing costs.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for 200203, the latest date for which data are available. 2. Estimates are for Great Britain. 3. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS. 4. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime. 5. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household). 6. The question has been interpreted and presented as those families in receipt of disability living allowance, who have children. The alternative interpretation, which would look at families where a child is in receipt of disability living allowance, cannot be presented due to insufficient sample sizes of this group. 7. For the purpose of calculating whether a family is below 60 per cent. of median income, any DLA received has been excluded from the household income. The median income of the population is the same as that used in HBAI, and therefore has not been recalculated following deduction of disability living allowance.
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey (FRS).

Disability Living Allowance

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of (a) single people under pension age, (b) couples under pension age and (c) adults under pension age have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary incomes (i) before and (ii) after housing costs, excluding any disability living allowance received.

Chris Pond: The information requested is presented in the table:
	
		
			  Percentage with incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income 
		
		
			 (i) Before housing costs  
			 (a) Single people under pension age 20 
			 (b) Couples under pension age 13 
			 (c) Adults under pension age 16 
			   
			 (ii) After housing costs  
			 (a) Single people under pension age 30 
			 (b) Couples under pension age 16 
			 (c) Adults under pension age 21 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for 200203, the latest date for which data are available.
	2. Estimates are for Great Britain.
	3. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
	4. Estimates for 'couples under pension age' include all individuals under SPA who cohabit with a partner.
	5. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
	6. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household).
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey (FRS).

Disability Living Allowance

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of (a) single female pensioners, (b) single male pensioners, (c) pensioner couples and (d) all pensioners have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary incomes (i) before and (ii) after housing costs excluding attendance allowance or disability living allowance received.

Chris Pond: The requested information is presented in the table.
	
		
			  Percentage with incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income 
		
		
			 (i) Before housing costs 
			 (a) Single female pensioners 26 
			 (b) Single male pensioners 21 
			 (c) Pensioner couples 28 
			 (d) All pensioners 27 
			   
			 (ii) After housing costs 
			 (a) Single female pensioners 25 
			 (b) Single male pensioners 21 
			 (c) Pensioner couples 30 
			 (d) All pensioners 28 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for 200203, the latest date for which data are available.
	2. Estimates are for Great Britain.
	3. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
	4. Estimates for 'pensioner couples' includes all individuals over SPA who cohabit with a partner. 'Single pensioners' are defined as those over SPA.
	5. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
	6. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household).
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey (FRS).

Disability Living Allowance

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance to people who become disabled after the age of 65 years to enable them to benefit from the Motability Scheme.

Maria Eagle: No. It is normal for pensions and benefits schemes to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives, and the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance is focussed on providing extra help to people who are severely disabled early, or relatively early, in life.
	Based on the need for personal care, attendance allowance provides help with the disability-related extra costs of people who experience the onset of disability after age 65. This help is part of the wide range of support that the Government make available to older people so that they can have a decent and secure income in retirement and share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country.

Disabled Workers

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the measures introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in South Ribble over the last seven years.

Maria Eagle: We have a number of measures in place nationally to help improve conditions for disabled people at work, as well as measures to improve their access to services generally. None of these are specific to South Ribble, but all are available to disabled people who live and work there.
	From 1996, the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act required most employers of 20 or more staff not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants or employees; in December 1998, we reduced this threshold to 15 employees. From October this year, the small employer exemption will be removed and most currently excluded occupations, such as police officers, fire-fighters, and partners in business partnerships will be brought within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions.
	Jobcentre Plus runs a number of specialist programmes providing help for disabled people, including New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, and Work Preparation. All these programmes provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. Since 199798 there have been year-on-year increases in both numbers helped and programme spend.
	To help people access appropriate help, Jobcentre Plus has established a network of Disability Service Teams. The teams are made up of Disability Employment Advisors, Access to Work Advisers and Occupational Psychologists; their services are accessed through local Jobcentres.
	Since April 2003, disabled people in work have been receiving financial support through the Working Tax Credit. This is available if a person is working an average of at least 16 hours per week (self-employed or for an employer); and have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. 70,000 families (including over 32,000 adults without children) are benefiting from the disability element within the Working Tax Credit, compared to 38,000 who benefited from the old Disabled Person's Tax Credit.

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of incapacity benefit claimants covered by the new incapacity benefit pilot projects in (a) 200304 and (b) 200405.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 4 May 2004
	We have projected that there will be approximately 14,000 new claims for incapacity benefits (Incapacity Benefit and Income Support on the grounds of incapacity) in the pilot areas during 200304, and 65,000 1 during 200405. The pilots will continue to the end of 20056 when we estimate that there will be approximately 66,000 new claims.
	In addition, all the pilot provision is available to existing incapacity benefit recipients in the pilot areas, numbering approximately 193,000. Their participation is currently on a voluntary basis.
	1  The number of pilots in 200405 will increase from three to seven, hence the higher projection of new claims.

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of possible savings generated by the new incapacity benefit pilot projects in each year from 200405 to 200809.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 4 May 2004
	One of the purposes of the incapacity benefit pilot projects is to establish whether there is scope for savings to support further re-investment in this and other Government priority areas. We believe that the pilots have the potential to generate savings which will outweigh the projected pilot costs of approximately 40 million a year. However there has been limited previous success in this area on which to make a firm assessment of the financial implications.
	The primary purpose of our agenda for reform of incapacity benefits is to help considerably greater numbers of those with health conditions and disabilities to achieve their aspirations to return to employment and to avoid long-term incapacity.

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the new incapacity benefit pilot projects to all incapacity benefit claimants.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 4 May 2004
	We estimate that the cost for a full year at national level of the provision now available to new claimants in the incapacity benefit reform pilots and the additional provision for existing recipients announced in the recent Budget and due to be introduced early next year, would be of the order of 700 million800 million.

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of (a) the start-up costs and (b) the annual running costs of the new incapacity benefit pilot projects, broken down by cost of (i) personal advisers, (ii) the new return to work credit, (iii) condition management courses and (iv) other costs.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 4 May 2004
	The start-up costs for the Incapacity Benefit Reform Pilots were all incurred in the 200304 financial year and amounted to 6,137,080.
	The unconfirmed running costs for the Incapacity Benefit Reforms Pilots during 200304 are shown as follows and the latest estimates for the running costs from 2004 to 2006 are as outlined:
	
		
		
			  200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Personal advisers 625,895 3,020,839 3,160,150 
			 Return to Work Credit 248,560 5,594,400 9,038,400 
			 Condition Management Programme 887,500 8,651,211 8,202,00 
			 Other costs 3,577242 22,733,550 19,599,450 
		
	
	The figures for the Personal Advisers also include some costs for processing Incapacity Benefit which cannot be separated out.
	The majority of the 'other1 costs given above consist of estimated funding to help customers find and maintain employment, either directly through, for example, New Deals, Work Based Learning for Adults and Access to Work, in-work support and the adviser discretionary fund, or indirectly through better medical assessments, training and evaluation of the project.
	These costs do not include the additional provision for existing clients announced in the recent Budget.

Incapacity Benefit (Rhondda)

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each ward in the Rhondda constituency have received incapacity benefit in each year since 1992.

Maria Eagle: The available information is in the table.
	
		People claiming incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance in the Rhondda constituency broken down by ward
		
			  August 
			 Ward name 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Cwm Clydach 475 460 425 435 430 
			 Cymmer 800 780 780 800 805 
			 Ferndale 610 585 600 570 575 
			 Llwyn-y-pia 405 385 390 400 380 
			 Maerdy 690 645 635 630 625 
			 Pentre 675 660 660 650 645 
			 Pen-y-graig 845 800 810 820 805 
			 Porth 785 750 720 735 725 
			 Tonypandy 455 450 435 440 450 
			 Trealaw 585 595 575 620 575 
			 Treherbert 915 910 865 820 780 
			 Treorchy 955 935 900 905 910 
			 Tylorstown 805 805 795 760 730 
			 Ynyshir 490 490 465 480 475 
			 Ystrad 835 820 815 845 820 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures are a snapshot of all claimants of incapacity benefit (including credits only cases) and severe disablement allowance at August each year.
	2. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries.
	3. All benefit counts have been rounded to a multiple of five to protect the confidentiality of individual claimants.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions.

Income-related Benefits

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of employees in his Department are in receipt of income-related benefits.

Maria Eagle: The Department does not hold this information.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) disabled access audit of 1 Steephill Road, (b) consultation document dated June 2002 and list of recipients, (c) specification of requirements for a Jobcentre Plus centre, as issued to his property advisors and (d) responses received to (b) relating to the Jobcentre Plus roll-out in the Isle of Wight.

Jane Kennedy: The available information has been placed in the Library.
	No responses were received to the consultation document dated June 2002.

Mayor of London (Meetings)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what dates he has held official meetings with the Mayor of London since July 2000; and what the subject of each meeting was.

Andrew Smith: Since July 2000, I have held no official meetings with the Mayor of London.

ME

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for   Work and Pensions how many ME sufferers were   (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in their applications for disability living allowance in the last 12   months.

Maria Eagle: For the year ending 30 November 2003, there were approximately 2,200 new awards for customers whose primary disabling condition is ME, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or other Post Viral conditions. Information on unsuccessful claims to Disability Living Allowance by sufferers of ME is not available. 1
	1  When inputting an unsuccessful claim to the computer system from which these figures are drawn, a disability code, which highlights the main disabling condition, is not input.
	Note:
	Figures taken from 5 per cent, samples. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on advertising the Pick it Up, It's Yours campaign in (a) national newspapers and (b) the regional and local press; and what the basis was for the decision on which publications would carry the advertisements.

Malcolm Wicks: The total cost of publicity for the Pick It Up It's Yours campaign in 200304 was 15,580,000. The cost for press advertising media was 6,086,146 which is broken down as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 National press 4,752,598 
			 Regional press 1,308,352 
			 Other press 25,196 
		
	
	The Department uses the Government's publicity agency COI Communications to buy media. Media are selected on the basis of the most cost effective method of reaching the target audience.

Pension Credit

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of (a) single men, (b) single women and (c) couples are expected to be entitled to pension credit in October; and how many of these will be entitled to (i) guarantee credit alone, (ii) savings credit alone and (iii) both guarantee and savings credit.

Malcolm Wicks: Estimates of the numbers of people eligible for pension credit, based on data from the Family Resources Survey for 200203, will be available later this month. The information will be placed in the Library.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department advertises pension credit in any language other than English.

Malcolm Wicks: Pension credit advertising has appeared in the following languages other than English:
	TVWelsh
	RadioGujarati, Punjabi, Cantonese and Hindi
	PressWelsh, Bengali, Cantonese, Gujarati, Punjabi and Urdu.

Pensions

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the Government will make changes to the current system to ensure that all women have access to a basic state pension in their own right.

Malcolm Wicks: All women have access to a state pension. They become entitled to a basic state pension by paying, being treated as paying or being credited with national insurance contributions. The amount of basic state pension will depend on the number of qualifying years built up before they reach state pension age.
	However, additional policies such as home responsibilities protection exist to enable people to acquire a higher amount of basic state pension.

Property Disregards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the rules relating to property disregards are different for pensioners moved from income support to pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: It was always our intention that the capital disregards on second properties should be the same in all income-related benefits.
	Currently in Income Support, the main property occupied as the home is ignored unless any part of it could be reasonably sold off separately. The value of any second property is normally taken into account, but there are a number of exceptions. In particular, the value of a second property which is occupied by someone who is aged 60 or over or incapacitated and who is a relative of the Income Support claimant or their partner is ignored.
	We have recently discovered that due to an oversight, this rule was not carried forward into Pension Credit legislation when the principal regulations were drafted. This means that the disregard only applies if the occupier is a close relative of the Pension Credit claimant themselves. We will make the changes needed to the legislation to ensure that this is corrected at the earliest opportunity.
	Meanwhile, we will be considering extra-statutory payments to anyone who has lost out.

Recruitment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 199697, broken down by (a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department.

Maria Eagle: The majority of external recruitment at all levels within DWP is carried out on a direct basis by the Department. However, for a small number of vacancies, particularly of a specialist or senior nature, the services of a recruitment agency may be used.
	The information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Advisory Committee

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the Quinquennial Review into the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Andrew Smith: The Quinquennial Review into the Social Security Advisory Committee will be published in the next two weeks.

Statutory Maternity Pay

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for   Work and Pensions how many women have (a) requested and (b) received statutory maternity pay since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the success of the take-up of this entitlement.

Chris Pond: holding answer 29 April 2004
	The information is not available in the format requested.
	Employers are not required to make returns on the numbers of women to whom they pay Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). However, numbers are estimated from the returns employers make to the Inland Revenue for the SMP they recover.
	Between 1987, when SMP was introduced, and 200102 it is estimated that approximately 4.1 million women have received SMP.
	A recent survey found that 93 per cent. of eligible women received Statutory Maternity Pay.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Battersea have (a) applied for and (b) obtained the Sure Start maternity grant.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the tables.
	
		Sure start maternity grants in South West Thames social fund district
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 200001 1,360 1,165 
			 200102 1,678 1,400 
			 200203 1,952 1,487 
			 2003 to October 1,494 978 
		
	
	
		Sure start maternity grants in South West Thames interim district
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 November and December 2003 479 325 
		
	
	
		Sure start maternity grants in Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth Jobcentre Plus district
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 January to March 2004 1,627 1,162 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data is not available by Parliamentary Constituency. Battersea Parliamentary Constituency used to be part of South West Thames Social Fund District. This District was involved in a very complex set of interlocking boundary changes affecting most of Greater London and some neighbouring areas, which took place from April 2003 to January 2004. Changes affecting South West Thames Social Fund District happened in November 2003 and the district then became known as South West Thames interim district. Changes to this district occurred in January 2004, resulting in the formation of Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth Jobcentre Plus district. Battersea Parliamentary Constituency was part of South West Thames interim district and is now part of Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth Jobcentre Plus district. The three areas for which data is given above are thus different, so the data is not comparable.
	2. Sure Start maternity grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small number of cases for 19992000 has been excluded for data protection reasons.
	3. Data is given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Winter Fuel Allowance (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Oldham, West and Royton have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in the Oldham, West and Royton constituency who have benefited from a Winter Fuel Payment in each year since 19992000 (including provisional figures for 200304) is in the table. Information relating to the 199798 and 199899 winters is not available.
	
		
			  Payments made 
		
		
			 19992000 15,840 
			 200001 17,330 
			 200102 17,270 
			 200203 17,170 
			 200304 17,160 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Please note that the figures for 200304 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by Qualifying Week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

TREASURY

Child Benefit

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total funding allocation for his Department was in 200304 for child benefit.

Ruth Kelly: The funding provision for 200304 for child benefit can be found on page 524 in the Central Government Supply Estimates 200405, (published April 2004).

National Minimum Wage (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many workers in Oldham, West and Royton have benefited from the national minimum wage.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Meacher, dated 10 May 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of workers in Oldham, West and Royton who have benefited from the national minimum wage (NMW). (170946)
	Estimates for Parliamentary Constituencies are not available.
	However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculates estimates of the number of jobs paid less than NMW rates for the United Kingdom and Government Office Regions. A guide to measuring low pay and associated articles and data can be found on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5837Pos=lColRank=lRank=272

Teenage Pregnancy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage girls (a) below the age of 16 years and (b) over the age of 16 years fell pregnant in (i) 200304 and (ii) each of the previous five years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Tim Loughton, dated 10 May 2004
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage girls (a) below 16 and (b) over 16 conceived in (i) 2003/4 and (ii) each of the previous five years. (171070)
	For this purpose, teenagers are interpreted as the under 18 age group, in line with the target set by The Government Strategy on Teenage Pregnancy.
	The table gives the number of conceptions among girls aged under 16, 16 and 17 in England and Wales for 1997 to 2001, the most recent year for which figures are available.
	
		
			Age at conception 
			  Under 16 16 17 
		
		
			 1997 8,271 14,058 21,029 
			 1998 8,452 13,802 21,865 
			 1999 7,945 13,334 20,749 
			 2000 8,114 13,153 20,081 
			 2001(39) 7,891 13,103 19,972 
		
	
	(39) Provisional.
	Numbers of conceptions are estimated from registrations of births and notifications of abortions. Miscarriages before the 24th week of gestation are not included.

Average Earnings

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the average earnings of (a) women and (b) men in (i) Lancashire and (ii) the North West.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 10 May 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what assessment has been made of the average earnings of (a) women and (b) men in (i) Lancashire and (ii) the North West. (172070)
	Average earnings arc estimated from the 2003 New Earnings Survey (NES) and are provided for full-time employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period, by their place of work. This is the standard definition used for MRS tables. The NES does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	The 2003 NES estimates that the total average weekly earnings of full-time adult employees in Lancashire were 471.30 for males and 357.40 for females, and in: the North West 483.10 for males and 367.90 for females. Please note that the former two estimates relate to the administrative county of Lancashire, which excludes Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority.
	More detailed information on earnings in each of these areas is available in the published tables from the 2003 NES. The relevant estimates can be found in table A22.1 for males and A23.1 for females, and arc available on the National Statistics wcbsite at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme   labour/NES2003Analyses   By   Region/NES2003   Analyses   By   Region.pdf
	The NES, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in Great Britain. It is a 1 per cent. sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
	The New Earnings Survey publication criteria ensures that all estimates are undisclosive and of reliable quality. A number of estimates have been removed from the published tables for these reasons.

Butterfield Review

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what effect the proposed merger of the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise will have on (a) plans to establish an independent Customs and Excise prosecutions office and (b) the implementation of other recommendations in the Butterfield Review; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendations of the Butterfield Review;
	(3)  to what extent lawyers acting on behalf of HM Customs and Excise have relinquished responsibility for prosecutions resulting from Customs investigations;
	(4)  pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 723WS on the Butterfield Review, when he intends to establish an independent Customs and Excise prosecutions office; what practical issues he is discussing with the Attorney-General regarding the creation of an independent Customs and Excise prosecutions office; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: As indicated in the joint statements I   made with the Attorney-General on 15 July and 8 December 2003, the Government have accepted the recommendations contained in Mr. Justice Butterfield's report in respect of Customs and Excise's investigative practices, and that offences investigated by Customs officers should be prosecuted by an independent prosecuting authority. These are being implemented.
	Legislation will be required to establish fully the independent prosecuting authority and we aim to introduce this in the course of this year.
	Prior to legislation being put in place, it is our aim to continue as far as possible the separation of the prosecution function from Customs and Excise begun following the Butler report of 14 April 2000. Various options are currently being examined with several steps already agreed, including appointing a new director for the organisation and amending the Memorandum of Understanding agreed on 9 January 2003in line with the Gower Hammond report of 5 December 2000between myself, the Attorney-General and the Commissioners ofCustoms and Excise. This Memorandum of Understanding concerns the conduct, resourcing and accountabilities for Customs and Excise prosecutions under the auspices of the Attorney-General as well as the arrangements for the prosecution of offences investigated by Customs officers. That Memorandum can be found at Appendix 9 of the Butterfield Report and makes it clear that since 1 April 2002 those lawyers who prosecute criminal cases arising from Customs investigations are accountable to the Attorney-General for the conduct of those prosecutions rather than to Treasury Ministers or the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. The amendments envisaged include the role of the new director.
	Among the practical issues presently under discussion with the Attorney-General are the future relationship between the independent prosecuting authority, the new revenue department and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).

Credit Unions

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had recently with the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd. on expansion of credit unions in the UK.

Ruth Kelly: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with representatives of ABCUL regularly to discuss a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, as provided for under Exemption 7(b) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.

Customs and Excise

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when HM Customs and Excise were first informed of the discovery of the informant record for Mr. Alfred Allington; and for what reasons the existence of this record was not referred to in the Butterfield Review;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on effects of excise   diversion fraud on London City bonded warehouses;
	(3)  whether he intends to re-open the Butterfield Inquiry following recent court evidence concerning Mr. Alfred Allington's relationship with HM Customs and Excise;
	(4)  pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 8 December 2003, if he will make a further statement on the practices and procedures of disclosure, associated investigation techniques and case management in HM Customs and Excise criminal cases;
	(5)  when (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department were first informed of the existence of the informant record for Mr. Alfred Allington; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  how many prosecutions relating to London City Bond (a) have been reviewed, (b) are to be reviewed and (c) have been overturned.

John Healey: The effects of the excise diversion frauds involving the London City Bond warehouse, and the validity of HM Customs and Excise's practices and procedures of disclosure, associated investigation techniques and case management in criminal cases, were fully considered in independent reviews by Mr. John Roques and Mr. Justice Butterfield, both of which are available in the Library of the House. Recommendations arising from those reviews are being implemented, as announced most recently in the Written Ministerial Statements of 15 July and 8 December 2003 by the Attorney-General and I.
	24 London City Bond-related cases have been reviewed. There are no further cases to be reviewed. 48 convictions, in 8 cases, have to date been overturned on appeal, of which 5 appeals (totalling 35 convictions) had been heard before the Customs and Excise Prosecutions Office launched its wider review of cases following the decision in November 2002 to offer no evidence in London City Bond-related cases before Liverpool Crown Court.
	Customs has trawled all areas of the Department for any material of potential relevance. Where further disclosable material has been uncovered, it has been passed directly to the Metropolitan Police to assist their investigation into the circumstances of the collapse of the London City Bond cases, and to Mr. Justice Butterfield. That trawl, by Customs officials, brought to light the record relating to Mr. Alfred Allington at the end of June 2003; the documents were handed over to Mr. Justice Butterfield in mid July. The Customs and Excise Prosecutions Office informed the Attorney-General of the Alf Allington informant record issue on 20 January 2004, as part of a general briefing about the review of London City Bond-related cases. A copy of that submission was sent to me on that date. It would not be proper to comment on the significance of this material, and whether it gives rise to any need to re-open Mr. Justice Butterfield's review, until any other proceedings to which it is relevant have been completed.

Employment (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the (a) change and (b) percentage change was in full-time permanent jobs in Oldham West and Royton from 1997 to 31 December 2003;
	(2)  how many new jobs have been created in Oldham West and Royton since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Meacher dated 10 May 2004
	  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about full-time jobs and jobs created in Oldham West and Royton. (170903, 170904)
	While statistics of jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs, from year to year.
	The attached table shows the information requested, relating to all jobs and full-time jobs, in Oldham West and Royton Parliamentary Constituency, for 1997 and the latest year available, 2002.
	Information is not available about whether the jobs were permanent.
	
		Number of full-time employees and total number of employees in Oldham West and Royton Parliamentary Constituency: 1997 and 2002 -- percentage
		
			  Full-Time Total 
		
		
			 Number of employees   
			 1997 31,400 45,000 
			 2002 32,100 45,300 
			 Change from 1997 to 2002 
			 Absolute 700 300 
			 Percentage 2.3 0.7 
		
	
	(40) Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs
	Source:
	1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled 2002; Annual Business Inquiry (ABI)

Fuel Cell Technology

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal incentives are available to UK companies involved in the development of fuel cell technologies; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Chancellor announced in Budget 2002 that hydrogen would be exempt from fuel duty for a limited period, to encourage further development and early take-up. Budget 2002 also introduced enhanced capital allowances for investments in hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. In addition, companies developing fuel cell technologies can benefit from research and development tax credits, announced in Budget 2000. The Department of Trade and Industry is responsible for other measures to support the development of fuel cell technologies, including through the Advanced Fuel Cells Programme. The Carbon Trust, which is funded by revenue recycled from the Climate Change Levy, supports the development of innovative technologies.

Income Tax

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how income tax receipts as a percentage of the total tax take have varied over the last 20 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested can be found on the Inland Revenue website: www.inlandrevenue. gov.uk/stats/tax   receipts/table12.pdf Personal tax credits are classified as negative income tax in these statistics to the extent that they offset the income tax liability of the family. This affects the figures from October 1999 onwards. Total tax take is defined as net taxes and social security contributions. The data are not published as a series. However the figure for 200203 can be found in   the Budget 2004 Financial Statement and Budget Report, Table C8.

Inland Revenue Guidance

Harry Barnes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for the Inland Revenue to publicise the   hardship provisions in its Code of Guidance on overpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Glasgow Anniesland (John Robertson) on 21 January 2004, Official Report, column 1259W and the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on 27 February 2004, Official Report, columns 57071W.

Job Vacancies (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in Oldham West and Royton in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Meacher dated 10 May 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job vacancies in Oldham West  Royton. (170898)
	According to Jobcentre Plus administrative records the number of unfilled vacancies in the Manchester travel-to-work area was 9,767 on average during 1997. This represents only a proportion of all the vacancies available, as not all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.
	Figures are not available for Oldham West  Royton alone because the vacancies are allocated to local Jobcentres, not according to constituency boundaries, and because of the practice of notifying some vacancies centrally with one Jobcentre taking vacancies for others in the same district.
	Jobcentre vacancy statistics were withdrawn from National Statistics in September 2001 as a result of distortions to the data, which occurred following the introduction of new administrative procedures by Jobcentre Plus. Comparable figures for vacancies in 2003 are therefore unavailable.
	Results from the ONS Vacancy Survey were released as National Statistics from July 2003, but are not available for local areas.

Productivity

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to (a) increase the productivity and (b) cut the costs of his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget that the Government are setting a stretching but realistic target for the whole public sector to deliver efficiencies of 2.5 per cent. a year over the three years of the 2004 Spending Review period. Meeting this target would deliver efficiency gains equivalent to 20 billion a year by 200708. The administration costs of all Departments are to be capped at or below the 200506 nominal level for 200607 and 200708. The Budget set out detailed proposals for meeting this target in relation to DWP, IR and HMCE.
	All Departments continue to work closely with SirPeter Gershon to prepare detailed efficiency proposals for consideration in the 2004 Spending Review. Departments' agreed efficiency programmes will be published in parallel with the Spending Review settlement.

Public Sector Employment

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects employment in the public sector, excluding the areas of health and education, to change from financial year (a) 200405 to 200506 and (b) 200506 to 200607.

Paul Boateng: A gross reduction of at least 54,000 civil servants by 2008 was announced in the Budget, and further reductions will be realised as efficiency plans are implemented. This will reflect back office workforce reductions and redeployment to the frontline.

Public Sector Employment

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on variations in the workforce employed in the public sector in England over the last 20 years.

Paul Boateng: Public sector workforce figures are set   out in ONS Labour Market Trends (September) publication.

Public Spending

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) change and (b) percentage change he expects in levels of public spending excluding health, education and defence (i) in 200405 compared with 200304 and (ii) in 200506 compared with 200405.

Paul Boateng: The latest figures for spending in these years for education were set out in table 1.2 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2004 (CM6201), and on every function in tables 3.8 and 3.9 of PESA 2004.

Statutory Paternity Pay

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many men have (a) requested and (b) received statutory paternity pay since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the success of the take-up of this entitlement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 29 April 2004
	The statistics requested are not currently available.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to complete the process whereby families in receipt of income support and jobseeker's allowance move on to the child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 29 April 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) on 11 March 2004, Official Report, column 1645W.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in receipt of (a) income support and (b) jobseeker's allowance have been moved on to the child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 10 May 2004
	I   refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell) on 11 March 2004, Official Report, column 1645W.

Tax Credits

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compensate those people who have received tax credit payments above the level to which they were entitled because of administrative errors and who are to have future payments reduced as a result.

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what compensation is available to people whose (a) working tax credit and (b) family tax credit payments are improperly stopped; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Members to what I said during the debate in the House on 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 860.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects awards for (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit in 200304 to be finalised.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 4 May 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member forBirmingham Northfield (Richard Burden) on 19 November 2003, Official Report, columns 10991100W.

Tax Credits

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the payment of working tax credit from the start of the current financial year and the adequacy of computer systems;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the payment of family tax credit from the start of the current financial year and the adequacy of computer systems.

Dawn Primarolo: The new IT systems for tax credits were introduced as planned. As at 5 April 2004, there are 6.0 million families benefiting from tax credits. The publication date of the next issue of tax credits statistics by the Office for National Statistics will be announced in due course.

Tax Credits

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of hardship caused to families as a result of the way tax credit overpayments are being recovered.

Dawn Primarolo: Additional payments were made in 200304, to help ensure that paying back tax credits overpayments did not cause hardship. In addition, because of the increased generosity of Child and Working Tax Credits the overall level of support to low and moderate income families is higher, reducing the risk of hardship.
	The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26, What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?, sets out the rules that the Inland Revenue follows when adjusting an award to recover an overpayment.
	As the Code sets out, the maximum amounts by which payments would be reduced is 10 per cent. for claimants receiving the maximum award; 100 per cent. for claimants receiving only the family element of Child Tax Credit and 25 per cent. for all other claimants.

Tax Credits

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the amounts of over-payments made to people through the working tax credit scheme; how many people have been overpaid; what arrangements are in place to enable people to manage to pay back these amounts; and if he will make a statement;

Mike Wood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will conduct a review of the (a) investigation and (b) recovery of over-payments of (i) child and (ii) working tax credits by the Inland Revenue; and if he will make provision for claimants to appeal against (A) over-payment decisions and (B) recovery actions.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 19 April 2004
	I refer the hon. Members to the replies I gave the hon. Member for South Down (Mr. McGrady) on 3 February 2004, Official Report, column 828W, and the hon. Member for Norfolk North (Mr. Lamb) on 22 March 2004, Official Report, column 664W.

Tax Evasion

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions the Inland Revenue has attempted to bring under the Finance Act 2000 for income tax evasion; what the value was of the revenue the Inland Revenue has attempted to recoup; how many attempted prosecutions have been successful; and how much has been recouped by the Treasury as a result.

Dawn Primarolo: The Board of Inland Revenue has   prosecuted, in total, 215 individuals since the introduction of the new offence in S144, Finance Act 2000. Most have involved charges of cheating the public revenue or false accounting. The total includes eight people who have been successfully prosecuted using the   offence in section 144 of Finance Act 2000 of fraudulently evading income tax. There have been no acquittals in cases where charges were brought under that offence. In the eight cases successfully prosecuted, approximately 100,000 tax loss has been recouped.
	There are presently a further eighteen cases where criminal proceedings involving the offence in Finance Act 2000 are in the course of being instituted.

Tax Returns

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many PAYE scheme notices were sent out by the Inland Revenue to companies it had been notified were dormant and would file nil returns in each tax year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: There are various PAYE scheme notices, such as reminders to pay and employers' end of year returns. No such notices should have been issued since 1997 where the relevant PAYE scheme record has   been noted as dormant. IR hold records for companies on a number of different IT systems. Some PAYE notices may have been issued for dormant companies where records held on other IR systems have been noted dormant but the PAYE scheme record has not. No numbers of such cases are available.

Tax Returns

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of penalty notices following the 31 January 2004 deadline for filing tax returns were sent out by 7 February.

Dawn Primarolo: In line with previous years, 90.6 per cent. of self assessment tax returns for 200304 were filed on time. Over 1 million returns were filed electronically. The Inland Revenue issued 952,766 Late Filing Penalty Notices on 17 February 2004 for returns not submitted by the due date.

HEALTH

Drug Misuse (Liverpool)

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of drug addicts in Liverpool, Walton.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not available because there is no longer a register of heroin addicts. The Home Office register of heroin addicts ceased in 1997 as resistance to register by heroin users meant the data were so inaccurate, it was unusable.

Agency Doctors/Nurses

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of agency (a) doctors and (b) nurses in (i) Preston and (ii) Chorley hospitals in each of the last three years.

Melanie Johnson: The National Health Service does not separately record the cost of employing agency staff.

Agriculture Council

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will represent the UK Government at the   meeting of the European Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on 26 and 27 April.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 22 April 2004
	I refer my hon. Friend to the response given to her by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Bradshaw), on 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 861W.

Anti-depressants

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the correlation between the number of prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs and recorded suicides in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not analysed any relationships between the number of prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs and recorded suicides in each of the last 10 years.

Asthma

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to commission research targeted at the needs of people whose asthma fails to respond to current treatments.

Stephen Ladyman: The National Health Service health technology assessment programme has commissioned a systematic review to examine the impact of psycho-educational interventions on health outcomes and costs in adults and children with difficult asthma. The report is expected for publication in early 2005.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) always welcomes high quality applications from the scientific community for support for research into any aspect of human health, including severe difficult asthma, and these are judged in open competition with other demands in funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health. In 200102, MRC expenditure on its respiratory disorders portfolio was an estimated 11.9 million, which included work on asthma.

Bedside Televisions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of (a) fixing so that they turn off and (b) replacing the faulty bedside televisions that have been provided.

John Hutton: The bedside televisions provided are not faulty; no fixing or replacement is required and no additional costs are involved. Patients can turn off screens or turn them to face the wall if they prefer.

Bedside Televisions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies have contracted with NHS trusts to provide bedside televisions.

John Hutton: Over 59,000 patients in 126 national health service hospitals have access to bedside televisions and telephones. The companies listed have contracts with NHS trusts to provide the service.
	Patientline
	Wandsworth Electrical Ltd.
	Hospital Telephone Services
	Kerfone
	Premier Managed Payphones
	Patientpal.

Bedside Televisions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of providing bedside televisions for patients.

John Hutton: The bedside televisions are provided at no cost to the national health service.
	Private companies provide the televisions and bear the cost of installation, managing and running of them. As a result, the NHS has benefited from over 100 million of private sector investment.

Blood Transfusion

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that those prevented from giving blood as a consequence of precautions against the transmission of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease are not disadvantaged in the provision of (a) insurance, (b) mortgages and (c) other relevant financial services.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	Individual medical information can be relevant to applications for life and health insurance in particular. We are not aware of any specific issues arising in connection with those people who have had a blood transfusion since 1 January 1980, or in connection with anyone who has been prevented from giving blood as a consequence of precautions against the transmission of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants in cancer specialities were working in the NHS in England in each year since 1999.

John Hutton: Information on the number of consultants working in cancer specialties in England in each year since 1999 is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): Consultants in the six main cancer specialties -- Numbers (headcount)
		
			 England 1 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 December 2003 
		
		
			 All main cancer specialties 3,362 3,528 3,721 3,913 4,169 4,240 
			 of which:   
			 Clinical oncology 305 307 333 315 347 358 
			 Clinical radiology 1,507 1,585 1,645 1,702 1,810 1,822 
			 Haematology 510 527 556 588 609 632 
			 Histopathology 836 865 915 968 1,021 1,036 
			 Medical oncology 110 133 147 185 202 211 
			 Palliative medicine 94 111 125 155 180 181 
		
	
	(41) Data as at 30 September each year, except December 2003 data, which is at 31 December.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Cancer Patients Survey

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 12 February 2004, Official Report, column 1684W, on the Cancer Patients Survey, when he expects to publish the analysis.

Melanie Johnson: The analysis of the Cancer Patients Survey was published on 22 April 2004. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library and on the Department's website.

Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many forum members of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health have resigned since its inception.

Rosie Winterton: Since their establishment on 1 December 2003, 662 members of Patients' Forums have resigned, which represents a turnover of 11 per cent.

Consultancy Posts

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on matching the number of consultant vacancies to the number of qualified trainees.

John Hutton: We are investing in future growth in the medical workforce by increasing both medical school places and specialist registrar training places. We have already exceeded the autumn 2005 England medical school intake target of 5,894, two years early. In autumn 2003, intake was 6,030 compared with 3,749 in autumn 1997 and as at 30 September 2003, there were 14,619 specialist registrars working in the national health service, an increase of 2,709 since September 1997.
	A range of national recruitment initiatives is in place to support doctors looking for consultant vacancies most suited to them. A new website at: www.doh.gov.uk/consultantjobs hosts thousands of consultant vacancies in England for domestic specialist registrars as well as potential international consultant recruits. Similarly, the national roll-out of e-recruitment, an online recruitment service for the NHS, will allow doctors to search and apply for consultant vacancies on one website. This new   service at: www.nhs.uk/jobs will streamline and modernise the process of recruitment of all NHS staff. In addition, the new consultant entry scheme facilitates the placement of specialist registrars looking for fixed term placements to known consultant vacancies.

Consultants

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the liability in the 200304 accounts of NHS Trusts of the implementation of the new consultant's contract.

John Hutton: Funding for the consultant contract, based on the methodology agreed with the British Medical Association during the negotiations, was allocated to primary care trusts in full in December 2002 as part of main allocations. For 200304, additional funding worth 0.3 per cent. of allocations was allocated to primary care trusts for the implementation of the new consultant contract. We have given clear guidance to the National Health Service about how to manage costs within the financial envelope and how to manage funding flows, but decisions on how to spend this funding are made locally.

Consultants

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health   how many (a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent consultants there were in each year between 1979 and 1997 inclusive.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) consultants by yearnumbers and whole time equivalents (wtes)as at 30September each year
		
			  Number Wte 
		
		
			 1979 13,034 11,578.4 
			 1980 13,276 12,045.1 
			 1981 13,545 12,300.4 
			 1982 13,672 12,438.9 
			 1983 13,987 12,723.8 
			 1984 14,259 13,016.9 
			 1985 14,535 13,257.4 
			 1986 14,838 13,505.7 
			 1987 15,081 13,681.5 
			 1988 15,385 14,052.1 
			 1989 15,883 14,517.5 
			 1990 16,525 15,011.4 
			 1991 16,834 15,332.8 
			 1992 17,279 15,695.9 
			 1993 17,605 16,044.5 
			 1994 18,155 16,537.5 
			 1995 19,524 17,899.6 
			 1996 20,402 18,602.6 
			 1997 21,474 19,661.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures before 1987 exclude staff on KE payscales (district directors of public health) as data on these are unavailable before 1987.
	2. In 1987 there were 68 such staff.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Continuing NHS Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 24 March 2004, Official Report, columns 91415W, on continuing NHS care, what information will be available centrally when the review is completed on (a) the number of people who should have been eligible for continuing NHS care who had been excluded and (b) the cost of reimbursing those people.

Stephen Ladyman: In due course, the Department expects information to be available centrally on the number of people granted recompense for being wrongly denied fully funded National Health Service continuing care and the aggregate cost of that recompense.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a response will be sent to the letter from the   hon. Member for West Worcestershire to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Warner, on 23 March.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 27 April 2004
	A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 29 April 2004.

Drug Action Teams

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the key performance indicators are for Drug Action Teams.

Melanie Johnson: The Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection has included two performance indicators relating to drug action teams (and drug and alcohol action teams) in their performance rating assessment of national health service primary care trusts in England in 200304. They are:
	drug misuse treatmentincrease in drug misusers accessing treatment; and
	drug misuse shared carepercentage of general practitioner practices in a shared care scheme for problematic drug misusers.

Foundation Trusts

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the public dividend capital was at 31 March of those NHS trusts becoming NHS foundation trusts on 1 April; whether in each case this is the initial public dividend capital of those foundation trusts; and what requests he has received for the issuing of additional public dividend capital to those foundation trusts under section 11 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 April 2004
	The amount of public dividend capital (PDC) outstanding on 31 March 2004 at each of the national health service trusts that became NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2004 is shown in the table. The information is taken from the Department's records. The amount of PDC shown in the annual accounts of these trusts is subject to audit and may differ for technical accounting reasons. The initial PDC of a NHS foundation trust is the same as the closing PDC of the predecessor NHS trust.
	To date, no requests have been received from NHS foundation trusts for additional public dividend capital under section 11 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.
	
		 million
		
			 NHS foundation trust Amount of PDC outstanding at 31 March 2004 
		
		
			 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals 68,379 
			 Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals 50,878 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital 27,810 
			 Homerton University Hospital 77,160 
			 The Royal Marsden 46,257 
			 Bradford Teaching Hospitals 103,245 
			 Stockport 65,686 
			 Countess Of Chester Hospital 45,123 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter 124,159 
			 Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals 113,495 
			   
			 Total 722,193

GP Surgeries

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the maintenance backlog cost of general practitioner surgeries in the NHS in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: There are some 10,500 general practitioner surgeries in England, of which 85 per cent. are either owner-occupied or rented by GPs, who are responsible for maintenance of their premises. The information requested is not held centrally and cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Health Professionals (Training Costs)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of training a (a) occupational therapist, (b) physiotherapist, (c) speech and language therapist, (d) district nurse and (e) health visitor.

John Hutton: Information for England on the cost of   training pre-registration occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, excluding bursaries, and district nurses and health visitors are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Staff group 200304 cost () 
		
		
			 Occupational therapist 20,420 
			 Physiotherapist 20,980 
			 Speech and language therapist 20,430 
			 District nurse 23,600 
			 Health visitor 23,600 
		
	
	Source:
	Financial and Workforce Information Return (FWIR) November 2002.

Health Services

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of   NHS dental services in (a) the Huntingdon constituency and (b) Cambridgeshire.

Stephen Ladyman: The information relating to the provision of national health service dental services in the Huntingdon constituency and Cambridge have been placed in the Library.
	Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) will have increased influence and control over the spread of NHS dental provision across their catchment area, and will have budgets devolved to them, so that the PCT will be able to keep the money locally for dentistry if a dentist leaves.
	Nationally we have provided new investment totalling 90 million over the last year. 59 million will support access, and strategic health authorities have been advised of their shares and are working with their PCTs to address access issues. 30 million is to support information technology and the balance of 1 million will support organisational development locally.

Health Services

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of suspected cancer patients in the Huntingdon constituency saw an NHS consultant within two weeks in each of the last seven years.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of patients with suspected cancer who saw consultants within two weeks are as shown in the table for the two trusts within the Huntingdon constituency.
	
		
			  Number of urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer Percentage seen by specialist with two weeks of referral 
		
		
			 Hinchingbrooke Healthcare National Health Service 
			 March 2002 468 99.8 
			 March 2003 415 100.0 
			 June 2003 499 100.0 
			 September 2003 576 99.8 
			 December 2003 593 100.0 
			
			 Papworth hospital NHS Trust 
			 March 2002 7 100.0 
			 March 2003 13 100.0 
			 June 2003 8 100.0 
			 September 2003 5 100.0 
			 December 2003 5 100.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistics

Health Services

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times in the last seven years for the residents of the Huntingdon constituency.

Stephen Ladyman: The table shows the changes in national health service waiting list times over the past seven years for the residents of Huntingdon constituency.
	The total number of patients on the in-patient waiting list fell by 28,198 between the end of January 2004 and the end of February 2004 to 941,162. This is the ninth successive month the waiting list has been below a million.
	
		Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission
		
			   Patients waiting for admission by months waiting 
			 Month-end/NHS trust Total number of patients waiting for admission Less than 3 months 35 months 68 months 
		
		
			 March 1997 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 8,106 4,026 2,092 1,220 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 3,850 1,836 1,238 568 
			  
			 March 1998 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 7,936 3,790 1,978 1,218 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 4,428 1,826 1,470 688 
			  
			 March 1999 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 6,628 3,846 1,666 772 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 3,760 1,742 1,020 622 
			  
			 March 2000 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 7,074 4,026 1,632 896 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 3,836 1,628 1,146 598 
			 March 2001 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 6,948 3,898 1.756 894 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 4,906 2,342 1,602 736 
			  
			 March 2002 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 8,192 4.244 2.320 1,086 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 4,432 2,046 1,482 684 
			  
			 March 2003 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 3,877 2,216 936 513 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 2,104 1,323 584 178 
			  
			 March 2004 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 3,494 2,282 944 268 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 2,110 1,630 450 30 
			 Huntingdonshire PCT 20 17 3  
		
	
	
		
			   Patients waiting for admission by months waiting 
			 Month-end/NHS trust 911 months 1214 months 1517 months 18+ months 
		
		
			 March 1997 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 758 10   
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 204 4   
			  
			 March 1998 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 728 194 28  
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 404 34 6  
			  
			 March 1999 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 290 54   
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 300 76   
			  
			 March 2000 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 468 52   
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 360 104   
			  
			 March 2001 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 326 66 8  
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 184 38 4  
			  
			 March 2002 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 526 16   
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 220
			  
			 March 2003 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 212
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 19
			  
			 March 2004 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Huntingdonshire PCT 
		
	
	Source:
	DH form KH07

Health Services

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) overseas doctors and (b) overseas nurses there were in Liverpool in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested on overseas doctors has been placed in the Library. The equivalent information on overseas nurses is not collected centrally.

Health Services

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the levels of elective admissions to the NHS in Wirral, South in the past five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Provider of treatment RBL Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust, count of finished elective (waiting list, planned and booked) admission episodesNHS hospitals, 199899 to 200203
		
			  Finished Admission Episodes 
		
		
			 199899 36,667 
			 19992000 29,759 
			 200001 32,018 
			 200102 33,351 
			 200203 29,664 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e., the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	Hospital episode statistics, Department of Health.

Hearing Aids

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the implementation of the modernising hearing aid services programme;
	(2)  what continuation funding will be available for the modernising hearing aid services programme after central funding ends in 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The modernising hearing aid services (MHAS) programme has resulted in the provision of digital hearing aids and the modernisation of services in two thirds of the audiology departments in England. By the end of March 2005, all audiology departments will   have been through the programme. An extra 26.4 million capital and 12 million revenue is scheduled to be distributed to lead primary care trusts for the financial year beginning April 2005 as part of the general allocations.

Hearing Aids

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS hearing aids are digital in (a) Essex and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally.

Hearing Aids

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health   what progress has been made in Essex on the modernising hearing aid services programme.

Stephen Ladyman: Four of the five acute trusts in Essex have modernised audiology departments and are fitting digital hearing aids. Epping Forest Primary Care Trust (St. Margaret's Hospital) will commence fitting digital hearing aids in 2005.

Hearing Aids

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects full take-up of NHS digital hearing aids to be achieved in (a) Essex and (b) England.

Stephen Ladyman: All audiology departments in England will routinely be fitting digital hearing aids by March 2005, two thirds are already doing so.
	The Department is investing a further 94 million in the financial years 200304 and 200405. This is additional to a total of 30.75 million invested since the Modernising Hearing Aid Services (MHAS) project began in September 2000.
	Essex Strategic Health Authority, and primary care and other trusts within Essex continue to work towards meeting the March 2005 target.

Hearing-impaired Patients

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that patients who are deaf or have hearing problems have full access to the NHS services by October.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department is working in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission on a range of measures to support the National Health Service in improving access to information and services, communications and levels of awareness of disability issues. These measures include, for example, developing health sector-specific practical guidance and promoting awareness of the access duties within the NHS.

Hearing-impaired Patients

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the way that the NHS communicates with patients who are deaf or who have a hearing impairment.

Stephen Ladyman: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments to the way they deliver their services so that disabled people can use them. In January 1999, the Department issued guidance to chief executives of National Health Service Trusts on providing good quality services meeting the needs of disabled people. This guidance contains a section explaining the needs of people who are deaf or who have a hearing impairment setting out a range of ways in which better communication can be supported. For example, the, guidance recommends that interpreters used for medical consultations should be appropriately qualified, that hospitals and health centres should maintain an up to date list of accredited sign language interpreters, and that letter headings, leaflets and information sheets should include text phone, fax and email numbers to facilitate responses from deaf people.
	NHS organisations are responsible for their own compliance with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act. However, the Department is working in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission on a range of measures to support the NHS in improving access to information and services, communications and levels of awareness of disability issues. These measures include, for example, developing health sector-specific practical guidance and promoting awareness of the access duties within the NHS.

Hunters Moor Hospital (Newcastle)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many business cases have so far been (a) submitted and (b) rejected for a replacement neuro-disability centre for Hunters Moor Hospital, Newcastle; what the date was of the first such submission; and whether a business case has now been accepted.

Melanie Johnson: Three business cases have been submitted.
	The first outline business case was submitted in 1995. It was not progressed further because of changes in the time scale of implementing the Newcastle Strategic Review.
	The second outline business case was submitted in 1998 to provide interim accommodation. It was rejected by the community health council. The former Newcastle City Health Trust withdrew the proposal and agreed to explore further options.
	The third outline business case was developed following a period of public consultation. It was approved by Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority in 2003. The full business case is now being developed.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's monitoring of the sale of (a) licensed and (b) unlicensed medicines over the internet.

Rosie Winterton: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) works in co-ordination with world-wide enforcement bodies to address this area of criminal activity. The MHRA is a member of the Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC). This forum was set up by the United Kingdom in 1998 to promote good practice and develop intelligence links and networks. Internet crime is a frequent topic for discussion.
	An initiative to co-ordinate action within the European Community and pre accession countries was established this year to advise and assist prospective members and to raise awareness of issues relating to the internet.
	An initiative is currently in progress to identify a commercially available internet monitoring software package for use by the MHRA.
	In addition, the MHRA and the former Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has been involved with three initiatives involving the availability of medicines on the internet sponsored by other Government agencies and local authorities, such as the Office of Fair Trading, Inland Revenue and trading standards departments. These initiatives identified websites which appeared to be in breach of medicines legislation. The MHRA/MCA investigated the services offered by those websites and took appropriate action.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on enforcing the General Medicine Council's ruling on the sale of medicines over the internet.

Rosie Winterton: In November 1998 the General Medical Council (CMC) issued guidance to doctors on providing advice and medicine on line or by telephone. The GMC guidance promotes good medical practice but is not for the Government to enforce.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to seek to amend the law relating to sales of drugs over the internet; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There are no plans to amend medicines legislation relating to the internet. Legal controls on the retail sale or supply of medicines are set out in the Medicines Act 1968 and associated regulations.
	These controls apply without distinction to medicines sold or supplied through internet transactions. Although there are strict legal controls in legislation on the sale, supply and advertisement of medicinal products within the European Community, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) accepts that the sale of medicines over the internet poses unique challenges to national authorities.
	Along with counterparts in other member states and other enforcement bodies world-wide (including the   Food and Drugs Administration), the MHRA continues to monitor developments. However, by its very nature, the internet, with its broad reach, relative anonymity and the ease of creating new websites (plus removing old ones) means that ensuring effective compliance with legislative requirements requires a global commitment.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many investigations have been carried out into the sale of unlicensed medicines via the internet by (a) the Medicines Control Agency for each year between 1997 and 2003 and (b) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency in the last year.

Rosie Winterton: The number of internet investigations carried out by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) involving unlicensed medicinal products year-on-year since 1997 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of cases 
		
		
			 19972001(42) 3 
			 200102(42) 1 
			 200203(42) 5 
			 200304(43) 7 
		
	
	(42) Investigated by the MCA.
	(43) Investigated by the MHRA.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions against sellers of unlicensed medicines via the internet (a) have been undertaken, (b) have been successful and (c) are in preparation by (i) the Medicines Control Agency for each year between 1997 and 2003 and (ii) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency in the last year.

Rosie Winterton: To date, there has been one successful prosecution, by the then Medicines Control Agency, relating to the sale of unlicensed medicines on the internet. This took place in 1999. No other such prosecutions have been brought.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency currently has two cases prepared for prosecution involving the sale of unlicensed medicines on the internet.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees are engaged in the Special Inquiry Unit of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency investigating drugs sales through the internet.

Rosie Winterton: The work of the special enquiry unit of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was absorbed into the mainstream criminal investigation unit in October 2001.
	The MHRA currently employs 14 full time investigators. The investigators cover all allegations relating to breaches of medicines legislation and do not exclusively investigate sales via the internet.

Internet Medicine Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training is undertaken by employees of the Special Inquiry Unit of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency investigating drug sales through the internet.

Rosie Winterton: All investigation officers in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) receive training in how to undertake investigations into cases involving the internet. Also, specialist administrative staff involved in internet casework have received additional training in internet search techniques.
	In addition, senior officers from the MHRA visited United States federal agencies in Washington at the end of last year as part of a familiarisation exercise on electronic investigative techniques currently in use in the United States. They received demonstrations of training and software packages on the market and in operation. Senior officers in the MHRA are in the process of evaluating which systems will be best suited to its needs.

Learning Disabilities

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been invested in the Learning Disability Development Fund; from what sources the funding comes; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Valuing Peoplea New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century announced the creation of the learning disability development fund (LDDF) to provide central support for key aspects of the strategy. It was introduced in 200203.
	The revenue allocations were 20.6 million in 200203, and 21.1 million in 200304. The capital allocations for both years were 20 million.
	The revenue element of the LDDF is formed from that element of the old long stay adjustment within general health allocations which is released as former long stay patients die.
	The LDDF capital is additional investment which resulted from the 2002 spending review.

Learning Disabilities

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with learning disabilities have access to a health facilitator; how many have received an health action plan, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of people with learning disabilities with access to a health facilitator and a health action plan is not available.
	Good practice guidance was issued in July 2002 on two key elements of the strategy for improving the health of people with learning disabilities: health action plans and health facilitation. This was followed up with a series of regional workshops. In the light of these the percentage 'Valuing People' support team has been working with local learning disability partnership boards to help them implement health action plans and health facilitation in their areas.
	Building on the Best, our response to the consultation on choice, responsiveness and equality in the national health service, published in December 2003, said that we will bring forward proposals during 2004 to offer disabled people the option of taking up an annual health check. We are considering how to take this forward in a way that will further support the health action planning process.

Long-term Care

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will, in the light of the recent Ombudsman's report on Mr. Curran, assess the criteria used by the Castle Point and Rochford Primary Care Trust to determine payment of the long-term health and care costs; and if he will make a statement on their consistency with the principle of free NHS care for those with serious health problems;
	(2)  if he will refund to families the costs they have been charged for the long-term care of their loved ones where these charges have been found to relate primarily to clinical care necessary because of severe illness; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make it his policy to ensure that people with severe irreversible brain damage who need long-term health care are not required to pay for that care;
	(4)  if he will list the strategic health authorities under which the long-term care of people with Parkinson's disease is (a) funded under the NHS and (b) not funded under the NHS;
	(5)  if he will make a statement on the consistency among strategic health authorities' policies on paying for long-term care costs for people with Parkinson's disease and other serious health needs.

Stephen Ladyman: Recompense payments have been made, and will continue to be made, in cases where investigations have revealed that individuals were wrongly denied fully funded national health service continuing care. Eligibility for fully funded NHS continuing care is based on the individual's level of assessed health care needs, not on a condition specific basis. All strategic health authorities have recently reviewed their criteria and have provided the Department with evidence of the legal advice sought to ensure their criteria's compliance with the NHS' legal responsibilities.

Malnutrition

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly people were diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition (a) in total and (b) broken down by health authority, in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: In the NHS Plan (2000) the Government made a commitment to reduce under nutrition by developing a hospital nutrition policy to improve the outcome of care of patients by 2004. A number of measures and strategies are in place to manage, monitor and screen patients for under nutrition in hospitals, residential care and the wider community. Nutritional screening is recommended for the care of specific groups, such as those outlined in the national service framework for older people (2001).
	Data from Hospital Episode Statistics showing the count of finished admission episodes to hospitals in England from 199798 to 200203 by the health authority of residence for malnutrition, where the primary diagnosis is malnutrition and the age on admission was 65 plus, are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Health authority of residence 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 QA2 Hillingdon HA  1 
			 QA3 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA 3 1 1 1   
			 QA4 Enfield and Haringey HA  1 2 2   
			 QA5 Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA  1 1 2 1  
			 QA6 Bedfordshire HA 1  5 1 3 1 
			 QA7 Berkshire HA  1 
			 QA8 Buckinghamshire HA  1  1  1 
			 QA9 Cambridge and Huntingdon HA  4 
			 QAA Bexley and Greenwich HA  1 
			 QAC Bromley HA  1 
			 QAD Croydon HA   1  2  
			 QAE East Kent HA 4 3 3 3   
			 QAF West Kent HA  1 1 3  1 
			 QAG Kingston and Richmond HA  1 2  5  
			 QAH Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA  1 8 2 6 1 
			 QAJ Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA 1 2 2 1   
			 QAK East Surrey HA  2 1  2 6 
			 QAL West Surrey HA 3 4 
			 QAM East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA 5 4 2  4 5 
			 QAN West Sussex HA 1  1 2 2 2 
			 QAP Barking and Havering HA 4 3   2 1 
			 QAQ Barnet HA 1   2   
			 QAR Brent and Harrow HA1   
			 QAT Camden and Islington HA 1 1 2 2  2 
			 QAV Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA 2  1 4 2 1 
			 QAW East London and The City HA 2 3 2 2 2  
			 QAX North Essex HA   3  1 3 
			 DAY South Essex HA 2   3 1 1 
			 QC1 South Lancashire HA 4  
			 QC2 Liverpool HA   1
			 QC3 Manchester HA 1  1 1 4 1 
			 QC4 Morecambe Bay HA1 2 1 
			 QC5 St. Helens and Knowsley HA   1  1 1 
			 QC6 Salford and Trafford HA 1   2 1 1 
			 QC7 Sefton HA 1  1
			 QC8 Stockport HA   1   2 
			 QC9 West Pennine HA 31 1 
			 QCA East Norfolk HA  1 
			 QCC Northamptonshire HA  1 1
			 QCD North West Anglia HA  1 
			 QCE Oxfordshire HA 1 1 1 1 3 4 
			 QCF Suffolk HA 1 3 4 3 2 1 
			 QCG Barnsley HA 1  
			 QCH North Derbyshire HA 1 1 
			 QCJ South Derbyshire HA  1 2 2  1 
			 QCK Doncaster HA 11 1 
			 QCL Leicestershire HA 2 2 2 2 3 4 
			 QCM Lincolnshire HA 1 3 
			 QCN North Nottinghamshire HA  1  1 5  
			 QCP Nottingham HA  2 1 6 6 2 
			 QCQ Rotherham HA  11 
			 OCR Sheffield HA 11 1 
			 QCT Bury and Rochdale HA 2 1  1 1  
			 QCV North Cheshire HA  11 
			 QCW South Cheshire HA 1 21 
			 QCX East Lancashire HA 1 1  1 4 1 
			 QCY North-West Lancashire HA 1 4 2 1 1 3 
			 QD1 North and Mid Hampshire HA   1 3 1  
			 QD2 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA   1 1   
			 QD3 Southampton and South West Hampshire HA 1 3 2 2 1 3 
			 QD4 Isle of Wight HA1   
			 QD5 Somerset HA 1 4 1 3   
			 QD6 South and West Devon HA 1 2  4 3 3 
			 QD7 Wiltshire HA 1 2   1 1 
			 QD8 Avon HA 2  1 4 1  
			 QD9 Birmingham HA 2 5 2 2 1 4 
			 QDA Wigan and Bolton HA   1  4  
			 QDC Wirral HA 1   1   
			 ODD Bradford HA   1 1   
			 QDE County Durham and Darlington HA 4 2 1 1  2 
			 QDF East Riding HA 2  1 3 2 1 
			 QDG Gateshead and South Tyneside HA 1 2 1 1 3 1 
			 QDH Leeds HA 7 4   1 1 
			 QDJ Newcastle and North Tyneside HA 1 2 1   3 
			 QDK North Cumbria HA   1
			 QDL South Humber HA  1 1   1 
			 QDM Northumberland HA 2 4  1  1 
			 QDN Sunderland HA 1  1   1 
			 QDP Tees HA  3 1 2   
			 QDQ Wakefield HA 2   1 1  
			 QDR North Yorkshire HA  1 1 4 2  
			 QDT Calderdale and Kirklees HA  2 2  1  
			 QDV Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA 2 2  1 3  
			 QDW Dorset HA   2 2   
			 QDX North and East Devon HA   1  1 2 
			 QDY Gloucestershire HA   2   3 
			 QEA Coventry HA  1 2  2  
			 QEC Dudley HA 6 1  1 2 2 
			 QEE Sandwell HA 4 11 
			 QEF Shropshire HA  2 1 1  1 
			 QEG Solihull HA1  1 
			 QEH North Staffordshire HA 3 5 1  3 1 
			 QEJ South Staffordshire HA   2  2 1 
			 QEK Walsall HA 1  
			 QEL Warwickshire HA 2 4  3 1  
			 OEM Wolverhampton HA 4 1 
			 QEN Worcestershire HA 2 11 
			 QEQ West Hertfordshire HA 1 1 2 1   
			 QER Cambridgeshire HA   1 2 5 3 
			 QET Norfolk HA   4 4 4 5 
			 QEV Isle of Wight Portsmouth and Southampton HA 1 3 
			 QEW Barnet Enfield and Haringey HA 2 1 
			 QEX Hertfordshire HA  1 
			 QEY Bexley Bromley and Greenwich HA 2 1 
			 W Wales   1
			 Y Not known 3 1 
			 Grand total 102 111 96 105 128 112

Maternity Services (Asylum Seekers)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 March 2004, Official Report, column 1217W, on maternity services (asylum seekers) what (a) maternity and (b) antenatal services will be available to women who have had their application for asylum refused.

Stephen Ladyman: Pregnant women whose application for asylum has been finally rejected will continue to be able to access National Health Service hospital antenatal and maternity services but they may be charged for any services provided, depending on how long they have been in the United Kingdom at the time their claim is turned down. In primary care settings, free treatment will be given only where, in the opinion of a health care professional, it is an emergency or is immediately necessary. In other circumstances, failed asylum seekers should be de-registered and should receive treatment (maternity medical services) only from General Practitioners practices on a private, paying basis.

Meningitis

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the meningitis risk to young people entering universities; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The risk of meningitis in young people entering higher education has reduced substantially since the introduction of the MenC vaccine. The number of cases of meningitis C per year in all age groups has declined by over 90 per cent., since the vaccine was introduced.
	Meningitis B still presents a risk, as there is no vaccine available to protect against this disease. In order to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of meningitis, the Department distributes the 'Look out for your mate' leaflet which is targeted specifically at the student age group.

Meningitis

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what immunisation advice he has given to young people due to enter higher education this year in respect of meningitis.

Melanie Johnson: United Kingdom students entering higher education should have received MenC vaccine as part of the vaccination campaign. We recommend that every effort should be made to ensure that all individuals are immunised even if they are older than the recommended age range, and that no opportunity should be missed.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for   Health 
	(1)  how many mental health beds are occupied by people being treated for physical health conditions;
	(2)  what his policy is on mental health beds in hospitals being used for treating people for physical health conditions.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not centrally available. The Department monitors the average daily number of open and staffed beds in National Health Service hospitals. Figures can be sub-divided into different ward classifications, such as 'neonates and children' or into sectors such as 'mental illness'. However, it is not possible to provide the information requested using these figures.
	The Department does not have a specific policy on the use of mental health beds being used for treating people for physical health conditions. The national service framework for mental health standard five envisages each mental health service user who is assessed as requiring a period of care away from their home to have timely access to an appropriate hospital bed or alternative bed or place. Strategic health authorities have a responsibility to ensure trusts' compliance with this standard.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects to publish a timetable for the pre-legislative scrutiny committee stages of the Mental Health Bill;
	(2)  when the Government will publish the responses to the consultation on mental health.

Rosie Winterton: A revised and completed Mental Health Bill will be brought forward for pre-legislative scrutiny in this session. The Government's response to consultation on the draft Mental Health Bill will be published prior to consideration of the revised Bill by the pre-legislative scrutiny committee.

Mumps

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to appeal to all teenagers not vaccinated against mumps to be immunised;
	(2)  what guidance has been produced by his Department on inoculation against mumps for people   who did not receive the MMR vaccine as children.

Melanie Johnson: All children need two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to ensure that they are properly protected against measles, mumps and rubella.
	We advise that children who have either had no or one dose of MMR should be offered a further dose. In our information resources, we already advise young people to check that all their immunisations, including MMR, are up to date at the time they have their teenage immunisations. We also advise healthcare professionals that entry to higher educational establishments provides a further opportunity to check the immunisation history.

Nappies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has received a copy of the recent report from the Women's Environmental Network on the economic and environmental costs of the promotion, use and disposal as clinical waste of   disposable nappies within the National Health Service.

Stephen Ladyman: Officials at the Department have received and responded to the recent report from the Women's Environmental Network on the use of disposable nappies within the National Health Service.

Nappies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate (a) the average unit cost of disposal as clinical waste of disposable nappies within the National Health Service and (b) the total cost to the NHS of the disposal of such nappies in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: National Health Service trusts establish their own policy on the disposal of nappies and will decide whether to treat them as domestic waste, and therefore send them to landfill sites or clinical waste and therefore incinerate them. The cost of clinical waste involving disposable nappies is not collected centrally.

Nappies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether officials of his Department have met officials of the Waste Implementation Programme of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss how best to identify and promote best practice in nappy use, promotion and disposal within the National Health Service.

Stephen Ladyman: Officials at the Department have not met officials of the waste implementation programme at the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the use of nappies in the National Health Service. In July 2003 my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, met my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Environment and Agri-Environment (Elliot Morley), along with representatives from the Women's Environmental Network to discuss disposable nappy waste and the use of reusable nappies in the NHS.

Nappies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet representatives of the Nappy Alliance to discuss policy and practice in the use of nappies within NHS facilities.

Stephen Ladyman: I will consider meeting representatives of the Nappy Alliance following a written request to the Department.

National Service Frameworks

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for   Health whether the children's national service framework will make reference to the good practice in continence services guidelines.

Stephen Ladyman: It is not intended that the children's national service framework will set standards for the treatment of specific conditions, but rather will outline what support should be available to children and their parents in managing a whole range of problems. In doing so it will emphasise the promotion of evidence-based clinical guidelines and provide examples of good practice.

National Service Frameworks

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the full national service framework for children.

Stephen Ladyman: The national service framework for children, young people and maternity services will be published this year.

National Service Frameworks

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the national service framework milestone for systems to explore user and carer experience in primary care trusts.

Stephen Ladyman: The responsibility for planning for and monitoring progress against this milestone of the national service framework for older people lies with strategic health authorities.

National Service Frameworks

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the national service framework milestone for general practitioner practices in identifying, treating and managing patients at risk of stroke;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the national service framework milestone for general practitioner practices in identifying and treating people who have had a stroke;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the national service framework milestone for general practitioner practices to establish clinical audit systems for stroke;
	(4)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the national service framework milestone for general practitioner practices to use agreed protocols for rapid referral of patients with TIAs to local specialist services;
	(5)  if he will make a statement on progress towards the national service framework milestone for general hospitals caring for people with stroke to have a specialised stroke service.

Stephen Ladyman: The planning and priorities framework for 200306 contained as a key 'must do' target the provision of specialist stroke services in hospitals caring for people with stroke by April 2004. This target is being monitored as part of the quarterly monitoring process and information on progress at the end of March 2004 will be available in June. 200304 local delivery plans and subsequent discussions with strategic health authorities (SHAs) suggest that the target will be fully met. At December 2003, around three-quarters of hospitals had already met the target.
	Planning for and measuring progress on all the other milestones in Standard 5 of the national service framework for older people, relating to the development of stroke services, is the responsibility of SHAs.

Neonatal Intensive Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the vacancy rate is for nurses in intensive care units for new born babies in each hospital trust in England;
	(2)  how many (a) nurses and (b) whole-time equivalent nurses work in intensive care units for new born babies.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

New Variant CJD

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of new variant CJD were reported in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Annual cases of variant Creutzfeld Jakob disease by notification since 1999
		
			  Reported cases 
		
		
			 1999 16 
			 2000 29 
			 2001 21 
			 2002 15 
			 2003 15 
			 2004(44) 0 
			 Total 96 
		
	
	(44) As of 5 April 2004

NHS

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 30 March 2004, Official Report, column 83WS, on NHS charges, what the cost of providing (a) sight tests, (b) dental check-ups and (c) prescription charges free on the NHS will be following the changes.

Rosie Winterton: The estimated additional annual cost to the national health service in England following the changes to the National Health Service (Travel Expenses and Remissions of Charges) Regulations from 6 April 2004 is as follows:
	provision of free sight testsaround 6,000;
	provision of free dental treatmentaround 70,000 (the additional cost of provision of free dental check-ups has not been identified separately; and
	loss of prescription charge revenuearound 580,000.

NHS

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on childcare provision for NHS staff.

John Hutton: The National Health Service childcare strategy has a key role to play in the recruitment, retention and return of staff to the NHS.
	The NHS Plan introduced the idea of a childcare strategy, as part of the improving working lives standard. National targets were set for 150 new on-site nurseries providing an additional 7,500 subsidised places, and for all NHS staff to have access to a childcare co-ordinator. Over 70 million has been made available for this over the three years from April 2001.
	So far, 140 new nursery schemes, new builds or extensions to existing nurseries, have been opened or are in the pipeline, which will provide an extra 6,000 new nursery places for NHS staff. Further schemes are being considered.

NHS

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children of NHS staff use NHS-provided childcare facilities.

John Hutton: The national health service childcare strategy has a key role to play in the recruitment, retention and return of staff to the NHS.
	We do not keep central figures on the numbers of NHS staff using NHS provided childcare facilities.
	The NHS Plan introduced the idea of a childcare strategy, as part of the Improving Working Lives standard. National targets were set for 150 new on-site nurseries providing additional 7,500 subsidised places, and for all NHS staff to have access to a childcare co-ordinator. Over 70 million has been made available for this over the three years from April 2001.
	So far, 140 new nursery schemesnew builds or extensions to existing nurserieshave been opened or are in the pipeline. These will provide an extra 6,000 new nursery places for NHS staff. Further schemes are being considered.

NHS

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of calls to NHS Direct were resolved by NHS Direct without the need for further NHS intervention in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Last year NHS Direct handled 6,427,321 calls and the proportion of these calls to NHS Direct that were resolved by NHS Direct without the need for further NHS intervention in the last year for which figures are available was 44.3 per cent.

NHS

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of new nursing recruits into the NHS have been recruited through recruitment agencies which have not signed up to the Government's code of practice on ethical recruitment;
	(2)  what percentage of all nursing recruits into the NHS have been through recruitment agencies.

John Hutton: holding answer 4 May 2004
	This information is not held centrally.
	National health service trusts should use only those commercial agencies which comply with the Code of Practice and which are listed on the Department's website.

NHS

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the country of origin was of nurses recruited into the NHS from overseas in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Hutton: holding answer 4 May 2004
	The Department does not collect information on the country of origin of nurses recruited to the national health service.
	The Nursing and Midwifery Council holds information on the number of admissions of nurses and midwives to the register by country. This information is available on the Council's website on www.nmc-uk.org.

NHS

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to ensure the Government can guarantee that no recruitment agencies are used by the NHS to recruit nurses which have not signed up to   the Government's code of practice on ethical recruitment.

John Hutton: holding answer 4 May 2004
	National health service trusts should use only those commercial agencies which comply with the Code of Practice and which are listed on the Department's website.
	Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are working with trusts to ensure they comply with the Code of Practice and only work with agencies who are compliant.
	This is in line with the government policy as it is for primary care trusts in partnership with SHAs and other local stakeholders to determine how best to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

NHS

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS therapists were located in Heywood and Middleton in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff in the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority area as at 30September each specified year -- Headcount
		
			  NHS hospital 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			  Total 5,701 5,796 5,956 6,248 6,589 7,029 7,170 
			  
			 5AA South Manchester PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 89 105 109 
			 5CL Central Manchester PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 116 152 152 
			 5CR North Manchester PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 71 82 89 
			 5CX Trafford South PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 5 7 6 
			 5F4 Heywood and Middleton PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 2 1 3 
			 5F5 Salford PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 106 137 155 
			 5F6 Trafford North PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 2 4 
			 5F7 Stockport PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) 112 124 116 
			 5HG Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 311 335 
			 5HQ Bolton PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 163 191 
			 5J5 Oldham PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 122 133 
			 5JX Bury PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 94 91 
			 5JY Rochdale PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 137 144 
			 5LH Tameside and Glossop PCT (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 128 132 
			 QC3 Manchester HA 0 0 0 1 (45) (45) (45) 
			 QC6 Salford and Trafford HA 0 0 0 11 1 (45) (45) 
			 QC8 Stockport HA 0 0 1 3 (45) (45) (45) 
			 QC9 West Pennine HA 1 1 1 2 4 (45) (45) 
			 QCT Bury and Rochdale HA 1 1 11 12 10 (45) (45) 
			 QDA Wigan and Bolton HA (45) (45) (45) (45) 4 (45) (45) 
			 RBU Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 673 668 705 730 (45) (45) (45) 
			 RBV Christie Hospital NHS Trust 265 268 281 288 303 320 329 
			 REX Oldham NHS Trust 347 346 360 393 417 (45) (45) 
			 REZ Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 244 249 243 259 308 (45) (45) 
			 RJY Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust 488 506 516 528 (45) (45) (45) 
			 RM2 South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust 534 550 561 562 554 548 549 
			 RM3 Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust 441 460 458 468 485 513 476 
			 RM4 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 281 288 306 323 337 340 315 
			 RM5 Mancunian Community Health NHS Trust 282 292 277 304 (45) (45) (45) 
			 RMC Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust 332 350 360 397 416 421 428 
			 RMH Mental Health Services of Salford NHS Trust 123 130 139 145 156 194 (45) 
			 RMJ Salford Community Healthcare NHS Trust 109 110 116 109 (45) (45) (45) 
			 RMK North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 286 267 272 275 256 (45) (45) 
			 RMM Community Healthcare Bolton NHS Trust 121 131 140 158 173 (45) (45) 
			 RMN Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 216 225 230 242 267 (45) (45) 
			 RMP Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 158 162 159 168 184 200 221 
			 RMQ Tameside and Glossop Community/Priority Services NHS Trust 140 140 148 160 159 (45) (45) 
			 RMS Stockport Acute Services NHS Trust 292 286 295 (45) (45) (45) (45) 
			 RMT Stockport Healthcare NHS Trust 180 177 186 (45) (45) (45) (45) 
			 RQ7 Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust 187 189 191 211 (45) (45) (45) 
			 RRF Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust (45) (45) (45) (45) 615 276 289 
			 RT2 Pennine Care NHS Trust (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 146 187 
			 RW3 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust (45) (45) (45) (45) 923 1,045 1,115 
			 RW6 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 900 853 
			 RWJ Stockport NHS Trust (45) (45) (45) 499 396 420 400 
			 RXV Bolton Salford And Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 213 
			 TAA Manchester Mental Health Partnership (45) (45) (45) (45) 120 (45) (45) 
			 TAE Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust (45) (45) (45) (45) (45) 141 135 
		
	
	(45) Not applicable.
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

NHS

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The table shows the number of doctors and nurses within the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority area, the number of general medical practitioners and practice nurses in Stalybridge and Hyde and the number of doctors and nurses in the Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust (including its predecessor organisations) each year since 1997.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Doctors(46) General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers)2 Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and health visiting staff and Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)3 for Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority and specified organisations  -- Numbers (headcount)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Greater Manchester
			 Doctors(46) 5,322 5,441 5,634 5,695 5,834 5,951 5,965 
			 of which:
			 HCHS Doctors(46) 3,837 3,957 4,124 4,172 4,315 4,440 4,384 
			 General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers)(47) 1,485 1,484 1,510 1,523 1,519 1,511 1,581 
			 Nurses 19,551 19,834 19,818 20,087 20,213 20,982 21,609 
			 of which:
			 Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and health visiting staff 18,678 18,907 18,767 19,163 19,258 20,053 20,674 
			 Practice Nurses 873 927 1,051 924 955 929 935 
			 
			 Tameside with Glossop PCG 
			 Doctors(46) (49) (49) 114 114 (49) (49) (49) 
			 Nurses (49) (49) 89 72 (49) (49) (49) 
			 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 
			 Doctors(46) (49) (49) (49) (49) 118 127 138 
			 Nurses 82 422 425 
			 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust  
			 Doctors(46) 118 124 129 146 180 178 193 
			 Nurses 581 688 698 666 962 930 908 
			 
			 Pennine Care NHS Trust  
			 Doctors(46) (49) (49) (49) (49) (49) 68 81 
			 Nurses (49) (49) (49) (49) (49) 637 797 
		
	
	(46) Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals.
	(47) All Practitioners (excluding retainers) include Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para. 52 SFA), PMS Other, Flexible Career Scheme GPs and GP Returners.
	(48) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
	(49) Not available.
	Notes:
	1. Headcount Practice Nurse figures are estimated for these years.
	2. Data as at 30 September every year except GP as at 1 October 199799.
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
	Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.

NHS

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) therapists and (b) scientists were located in Burnley in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Data relating to the numbers of therapists and scientists on a constituency basis is not gathered centrally. The data shown in the table relates to National Health Service organisations serving the Burnley area.
	
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA area 3,352 3,486 3,595 3,706 3,758 3,893 4,279 
			 Of which:
			 Total of specified organisationsBurnley 624 637 675 698 733 701 759 
			 5G8 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT (50) (50) (50) (50) (50) 116 124 
			 REU Burnley Health Care NHS Trust 360 374 374 389 403 277 (50) 
			 RMB Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust(51) 264 263 301 309 330 308 (50) 
			 RXR East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (50) (50) (50) (50) (50) (50) 635 
		
	
	(50) Not applicable
	(51) Mental Health elements transferred to Lancashire Care Trust from 1 April 2002.
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

NHS

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) therapists and (b) scientists were located in Preston in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Data relating to the numbers of therapists and scientists on a constituency basis is not gathered centrally. The data shown in the table relates to national health service organisations serving the Preston area.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: All qualified scientific, therapeutic  technical staff in the specified organisations as at 30September
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA area 3,352 3,486 3,595 3,706 3,758 3,893 4,279 
			 of which:
			 Total of specified organisationsPreston 589 628 651 682 637 956 1,097 
			 5HD Preston PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 93 112 
			 RJU Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust (52) 211 218 216 222 169 n/a n/a 
			 RMF Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 378 410 435 460 468 n/a n/a 
			 RW5 Lancashire Care NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 260 259 
			 RXN Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 603 726 
		
	
	(52) Mental Health elements transferred to Lancashire Care Trust from 1 April 2002.
	n/anot applicable
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

NHS

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Preston in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of national health service doctors and nurses is not gathered on a constituency basis. The tables show information based on NHS organisations serving the Preston area.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Doctors (53) and General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers) for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority and specified organisations serving the Preston area -- As at 30September
		
			All Doctors(53) 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 3,173 3,283 3,263 3,380 3,350 3,413 3,494 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care (54) 201 211 219 239 250 238 n/a 
			 Blackpool Wyre and Fylde Community Health Services (54) 61 62 69 74 67 n/a n/a 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust (54) 211 232 238 280 232 230 n/a 
			 Communicare NHS Trust (54) 30 31 31 30 24 n/a n/a 
			 Guild Community Healthcare NHS Trust (54) 47 50 49 48 53 n/a n/a 
			 North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust 2,3 n/a n/a 41 44 16 n/a n/a 
			 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 106 115 123 118 142 n/a n/a 
			 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 312 339 316 355 348 n/a n/a 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 108 101 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 484 482 
			 Preston PCG n/a n/a 67 69 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Rossendale PCG n/a n/a 33 31 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Preston PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a 73 93 102 
		
	
	(53) Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part-time in hospitals
	(54) Mental Health elements transferred to Lancashire Care Trust from 1 April 2002
	(55) Service for West Lancashire: includes services provided at West Lancashire until 31 March 1999 and excludes services transferred to Mersey Care 1 April 2001
	n/anot available
	Note:
	Data as at 30 September every year except GP as at 1 October 199799
	
		Qualified Nursing, Midwifery  health visiting staff and Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs) for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority and specified organisations serving the Preston area -- As at 30Septembernumbers (headcount)
		
			 Nurses 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 13,359 13,400 13,859 13,494 13,794 15,011 15,049 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care (57) 1,260 1,274 1,547 1,189 1,206 1,161 n/a 
			 Blackpool Wyre and Fylde Community Health Services (57) 845 865 871 868 910 n/a n/a 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust (57) 1,382 1,369 1,358 1,364 1,536 1,185 103 
			 Communicare NHS Trust (57) 472 483 509 522 387 n/a n/a 
			 Guild Community Healthcare NHS Trust (57) 394 436 464 446 455 n/a n/a 
			 North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust 2,3 n/a n/a 453 475 72 n/a n/a 
			 Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 701 746 775 772 603 n/a n/a 
			 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,272 1,234 1,264 1,256 1,410 70 69 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,002 1,021 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,915 1,928 
			 Preston PCG n/a n/a 49 56 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Rossendale PCG n/a n/a 22 22 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Preston PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 193 233 
		
	
	(56) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
	(57) Mental Health elements transferred to Lancashire Care Trust from 1 April 2002
	(58) Service for West Lancashire: includes services provided at West Lancashire until 31 March 1999 and excludes services transferred to Mersey Care 1 April 2001
	n/anot available
	Note:
	Data as at 30 September every year except GP as at 1 October 199799
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
	Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census

NHS/Foundation Trusts

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public dividend capital has been issued by his Department to NHS trusts in (a) 200203 and (b) 200304; and how much is estimated to be issued in   200405 to (i) NHS trusts and (ii) Foundation trusts.

John Hutton: holding answer 27 April 2004
	The information requested is shown in the table. The forecast split of public dividend capital (PDC) between national health service trusts and NHS foundation trusts for 200405 will be refined during the year as   better information becomes available on NHS foundation trusts spending plans and in year starts.
	
		 million
		
			  Total PDC issued/forecast 
			 Financial year PDC to NHS trusts PDC to NHS foundation trusts Total 
		
		
			 200203 1,434 0 1,434 
			 200304 1,833 0 1,833 
			 200405(59) 2,634 150 2,784 
		
	
	(59) Estimate.

Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent nurses there were in each year between 1979 and 1997 inclusive.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	Between 1983, the first comparable year with current information, and 1997, the number of qualified nurses increased by 62,515. Since 1997, the number of qualified nurses employed in the National Health Service has increased by 67,503.
	
		NHS hospital-based and community(60) qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents(64) in England as at 30September each specified year(68)
		
			  Whole-time equivalent  Headcount 
		
		
			 1979 1,4161,359 1,4,8190,243 
			 1980 1,3167,097 1,3,8196,361 
			 1981 1,3179,144 1,3,8206,029 
			 1982 1,2,3185,913 1,2,3,8212,512 
			 1983 224,971 (67)256,341 
			 1984 229,646 (67)262,908 
			 1985 236,340 (67)271,382 
			 1986 239,271 (67)274,670 
			 1987 241,981 (67)279,552 
			 1988 245,404 (67)284,242 
			 1989 249,240 296,937 
			 1990 250,080 298,966 
			 1991(65) 252,010 (67)293,774 
			 1992(65) 255,691 (67)297,351 
			 1993(65) 251,456 (67)293,379 
			 1994(65) 247,883 305,784 
			 1995(66) 256,567 316,893 
			 1996(66) 256,891 316,515 
			 1997 256,093 318,856 
		
	
	(60) Figures for 19791982 are hospital staff only and are therefore not directly comparable with later years
	(61) 1982 data is as at 31 December
	(62) Figures taken from 1985 HPSSS
	(63) Figures taken from 1982 HPSSS
	(64) UPEs includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs
	(65) Figures for 1991 to 1994 may riot be fully comparable with other data due to under-reporting of fundholding practice staff by FHSAs.
	(66) Includes estimated data for Buckinghamshire.
	(67) Headcount Practice Nurse figures are estimated for these years.
	(68) All Practice nurse data as at 1 October
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
	Department of Health and Social Security Health and Personal Social Services Statistics (HPSSS)
	Digest of Health Statistics

Obesity

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on medical research into obesity in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: Management of much of the research supported by national health service research and development funding is devolved and expenditure at project level is not held centrally by the Department. Research relating to obesity is usually carried out in the context of wider programmes.

Paddington Health Campus

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health further to the Minister of State for Health's answer of   23 March 2004, Official Report, column 695, on Paddington Health Campus, when he expected to make an announcement about the future of the campus scheme before the end of March; and when he now expects to make an announcement.

John Hutton: holding answer 19 April 2004
	Discussions on the future of the Paddington Health Campus are now reaching a conclusion and it is envisaged that the North West London Strategic Health Authority will shortly be in a position to issue a statement on the investment needed to modernise the health economy in North West London.

Paediatric Provision

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric (a) doctors and (b) nurses (i) are working in the NHS and (ii) were working in the NHS in each of the last seven years, broken down by (A) those working full-time, (B) those working part-time and (C) gender.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: qualified paediatric nurses in England by nature of contract as at 30September each specified year -- Headcount and percentage headcount
		
			  All staff Full-time Part-time Unknown Percentage full-time Percentage part-time 
		
		
			 2003 18,437 10,011 6,998 1,428 58.9 41.1 
			 2002 18,014 9,898 6.734 1,382 59.5 40.5 
			 2001 17,640 9,423 6,367 1,850 59.7 40.3 
			 2000 16,922 9,241 6,155 1,526 60.0 40.0 
			 1999 16,689 9,185 5,888 1,616 60.9 39.1 
			 1998 16,266 9,093 5,645 1,528 61.7 38.3 
			 1997 15,341 8,891 5,356 1,094 62.4 37.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Percentages are based on staff whose contract is known.
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: qualified paediatric nurses in England by gender as at 30September each specified year -- Headcount and percentage headcount
		
			  All staff Male Female Unknown(69) Percentage male Percentage female 
		
		
			 2003 18,437 721 16,288 1,428 4.2 95.8 
			 2002 18,014 711 15,921 1,382 4.3 95.7 
			 2001 17,640 668 15,122 1,850 4.2 95.8 
			 2000 16,922 654 14,742 1,526 4.2 95.8 
			 1999 16,689 632 14,442 1,615 4.2 95.8 
			 1998 16,266 598 14,140 1,528 4.1 95.9 
			 1997 15,341 576 14,765 0 3.8 96.2 
		
	
	(69) Percentages are based on staff whose gender is known. The gender of bank staff is not collected.
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.
	
		Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS): medical staff within the paediatric group of specialties by nature of contract and gender 1997 to 2003 -- Numbers (headcount)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 
			  All staff Male Female All staff Male Female All staff Male Female 
		
		
			 England as at 30 September each year
			 All staff 4,344 2,134 2,210 4,542 2,186 2,356 4,750 2,196 2,554 
			 of which  
			   
			 Whole time 3,600 1,849 1,751 3,747 1,901 1,846 3,914 1,908 2,006 
			 Maximum part-time 64 49 15 54 42 12 50 38 12 
			 Part-time 520 115 405 593 130 463 643 142 501 
			 Honorary 160 121 39 148 113 35 143 108 35 
			   
			 Consultant 1,227 789 438 1,299 827 472 1,355 845 510 
			 of which  
			   
			 Whole time 945 633 312 1,012 674 338 1,059 690 369 
			 Maximum part-time 64 49 15 54 42 12 48 37 11 
			 Part-time 125 30 95 153 44 109 163 46 117 
			 Honorary 93 77 16 80 67 13 85 72 13 
		
	
	
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 
			  All staff Male Female All staff Male Female All staff Male Female All staff Male Female 
		
		
			 England as at 30 September each year  
			 All staff 5,027 2,281 2,746 5,127 2,351 2,776 5,608 2,563 3,045 5.960 2,728 3,232 
			 of which 
			  
			 Whole time 4,093 1,988 2,105 4,101 2,024 2,077 4,472 2,225 2,247 4,804 2,400 2,404 
			 Maximum part-time 52 36 16 47 33 14 63 44 19 67 49 18 
			 Part-Time 705 128 577 807 174 633 860 153 707 892 142 750 
			 Honorary 177 129 48 172 120 52 213 141 72 197 137 60 
			  
			 Consultant 1,443 891 552 1,507 914 593 1,695 1,031 664 1,807 1,087 720 
			 of which 
			  
			 Whole time 1,101 725 376 1,093 725 368 1,235 818 417 1,294 858 436 
			 Maximum part-time 50 36 14 47 33 14 59 42 17 65 49 16 
			 Part-time 190 44 146 263 71 192 269 65 204 301 62 239 
			 Honorary 102 86 16 104 85 19 132 106 26 147 118 29 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Paediatric Provision

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for   Health how many paediatric trainees started in the NHS in each of the last five years, broken down by sex.

John Hutton: Information on the number of paediatric trainees in each of the last five years, broken down by gender is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS) doctors in training within the paediatric group -- Numbers (head count)
		
			 Of which 
			  All staff Male Female 
		
		
			 England as at 30 September each year 
			 1999 2,838 1,143 1,695 
			 2000 2,936 1,137 1,799 
			 2001 2,875 1,135 1,740 
			 2002 3,049 1,227 1,822 
			 2003 3,258 1,320 I 1,938 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Patient Records

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those NHS trusts which do not yet use electronic patient records.

John Hutton: Most hospitals now have existing patient administration systems and limited or stand alone clinical systems. By the end of 2005, all National Health Service trusts will have some integrated functionality through electronic records to support patient care as part of the NHS care records service. This will begin to be rolled out alongside the electronic appointment booking service from summer 2004, with phased implementation to provide richer functionality over time to 2010.

Patients Passports

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 22 March 2004, Official Report, column 594, what the basis was for the statement that a policy of patients' passports paying for operations in the private sector would divert 2 billion of taxpayers' money away from the national health service.

John Hutton: The Government calculate that the deadweight cost to the Exchequer of subsidising those who already pay for operations and other care in the private sector would be 2 billion per annum. The patient passport policy, whereby a voucher would cover 60 per cent. of the national health service cost of an operation in the private sector would cost an estimated 1 billion. This has been calculated using data on the number and distribution of private sector treatments, together with 2003 NHS reference costs to estimate the subsidy per procedure. A further 1 billion would be required to fund tax relief on national insurance contributions and income tax for company and private schemes. This is based on projections for company and   private schemes from the Inland Revenue and Association of British Insurers.
	The 2 billion figure does not contain any estimate of the additional administration costs which would be required to operate such policies.

Prescription Pre-payment Certificates

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce a monthly instalment scheme for the prescription prepayment certificate.

Rosie Winterton: The prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) scheme is designed to be simple so that it can be administered easily and with the minimum of cost. To introduce payment by instalments would inevitably increase the administrative costs involved. This could lead to higher PPC fees and so reduce the potential savings and make the certificates less attractive for those who continue to make use of them.
	However, we are, with the Prescription Pricing Authority, currently considering the implications of introducing such a scheme, including the practicalities of payment collection.

Prison Health Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 961W, on the Prison Health Service, what issues had been raised by local services concerning the existing local protocols for ambulance and paramedic access.

Stephen Ladyman: Feedback from local services highlighted the scope to strengthen protocols for ambulance and paramedic access to prisons in three specific areas:
	ensuring that ambulances are called promptly to incidents within prisons when required, and that there are clear arrangements for doing so in emergencies without the need first to consult prison health care staff;
	distinguishing between access for an ambulance vehicle and access for a paramedic to attend the patient; and
	taking account of the potential impact of new European Committee for Standardisation Regulation for Ambulance Vehicles (British Standard Specification EN 1789), given the need for a suitably risk assessed Prison Service escort to attend with the vehicle.

Scanners

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) MRI scanners and (b) PET scanners there are in England; and how many of these scanners have been bought (i) directly by the NHS and (ii) through alternative funding arrangements.

Melanie Johnson: There are approximately 221 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and four positron emission tomography (PET) scanners installed in the National Health Service in England. In addition, there are approximately 75 MRI scanners and eight PET scanners installed in non-NHS institutions in England.
	Of the 221 NHS MRI scanners, it is estimated that just over 100 were purchased directly by the NHS. Approximately 60 were purchased through central capital programmes funded by the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) and the Department. Approximately 60 were purchased through other arrangements, including lease arrangements, managed service contracts and charitable funding.
	This information is not held centrally for PET scanners.
	By the end of 2004, central cancer capital funding will mean that there will be approximately 277 MRI scanners in the NHS in England. In addition, on 8 April 2004, the Department launched a procurement from the private sector to provide an extra 80,000 mobile MRI scans per year for the NHS for five years.

Sexual Health Services

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to ensure that sexual health services and contraception advice for young people are made more accessible; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Government are working to improve access to sexual health services and contraception advice for young people through both the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV.
	The first ever National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV (2001) (which links closely to the Government's teenage pregnancy strategy) identifies young people as a priority group for action. The Department's 'Sex Lottery' and the teenage pregnancy (RUthinking) media campaigns are raising awareness among young people of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and how to avoid them. We are also tackling the most common STI through our national chlamydia screening programme, which already covers a quarter (84) of primary care trusts in England. Further details on the Strategy and its implementation are available from the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/sexualhealthandhiv/.
	The teenage pregnancy strategy aims to tackle the high levels of teenage pregnancy. Increasing and improving access to contraception and sexual health advice services is also a very important part of this work.

Stroke Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the stroke milestone in the older people's National Service Framework is defined; and how many hospitals have access to (a) peripatetic specialised teams and (b) a team in place in the hospital.

Stephen Ladyman: Standard 5 of the national service framework (NSF) for older people sets out the requirements for a specialised stroke service.
	The Department is monitoring on a quarterly basis the number of hospitals that have stroke services and the number of these that have introduced specialised stroke services. The NSF makes it clear that all specialised stroke services should be co-ordinated through an integrated team, although the exact make up of that team will bedetermined locally. This more detailed information is not collected centrally.

Telecommunications Masts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review and publish further health research evidence relating to the impact of (a) mobile phone masts and (b) mobile phone use subsequent to the report of Sir William Stewart.

Melanie Johnson: The health implications of mobile phones and base stations were reviewed in a report issued in January 2004 by the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) advisory group on non-ionising radiation (Documents of the NRPB, Vol 14, No. 2, 2003). The report, entitled, Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields, concluded that:
	The weight of evidence now available does not suggest that there are adverse health effects from exposures to RF (radiofrequency) fields below guideline levels, but the published research on RF exposures and health has limitations, and mobile phones have only been in widespread use for a relatively short time. The possibility therefore remains open that there could be health effects from exposure to RF fields below guideline levels; hence continued research is needed.
	More specifically, for base stations it concluded:
	Exposure levels from living near to mobile phone base stations are extremely low, and the overall evidence indicates that they are unlikely to pose a risk to health.
	The report is available on the NRPB website at www.nrpb.org. The advisory group will continue to review the scientific literature both national and international that is relevant to the issue of mobile telephony and health.
	The mobile telecommunications and health research (MTHR) programme reports on progress at its open seminars. The majority of projects are due to be completed in time for the seminar expected in November 2005. A few remaining projects may take up to three years longer depending on their complexity. Descriptions of these projects can be found on the website at www.mthr.org.uk.
	In addition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) electromagnetic fields project is expected to publish a health risk assessment of radiofrequency effects in 2007, which will be available on the WHO website at www.who.int/peh-emf.

University Medical Training

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government is taking to increase the number of British university trained (a) doctors and (b) nurses in the NHS.

John Hutton: We have invested significantly both in the national health service and higher education. The medical school intake in England has increased by more than 2,250 since 1997, an increase of over 60 per cent., and, as a result, we have exceeded the autumn 2005 intake target two years early. We have created four new medical schools, opened four new centres of medical education, three of which are associated with established medical schools, significantly increased the capacity of most other medical schools and introduced graduate-entry four-year courses.
	There has been an increase of almost 8,000 nurses and midwives entering pre-registration training between 199697 and 200203, a 53 per cent, increase. Latest figures suggest a further increase of around 1,800 nurses and midwives entering pre-registration training in 200304.
	Responsibility for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland universities and numbers of students in undergraduate medical and nursing pre-registration training is a matter for the devolved administrations.

MRI Scans

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for an MRI scan in each strategic health authority was for each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: Data on waiting times for   diagnostic tests, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging, are not collected centrally.

MRI Scans

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of women in Burnley with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis. The information shown in the table relates to the National Health Service organisations serving the Burnley area.
	
		Waiting times for 1st consultant outpatient appointment for suspected breast cancer following urgent GP referral
		
			 Seen within two weeks 
			  NHS Trust Percentage Number 
		
		
			 19992000 Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust 82.6 19 
			 19992000 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 100.0 10 
			 200001 Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust 96.2 50 
			 200001 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 100.0 53 
			 200102 Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust 100.0 84 
			 200102 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 100.0 89 
			 200203 Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust 100.0 84 
			 200203 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 100.0 114 
			 200304 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 100.0 209 
		
	
	Note:
	East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust was formed from the merger of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust and Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust on 1 April 2003.
	Source:
	DH Form QMCW

Wanless Report

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds will be made available to implement the Wanless Report recommendations.

John Hutton: In his 2002 budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, accepted the conclusions of the report and announced an historic five-year settlement for the national health service, which represented a real terms increase in spending of 7.3 per cent. a year from 200304 to 200708. This will take total NHS expenditure to over 90 billion by 200708.

Warrington Hospital

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advances have been made in coronary care in Warrington Hospital since 1997; and what further plans are in progress.

Melanie Johnson: In June 2002, 24 people were waiting over nine months for heart surgery in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority area. Today, no-one is waiting for over nine months. Warrington coronary care unit will be relocated to the accident and emergency department in June to provide an improved pathway for patients. Warrington Hospital will benefit also from a new cardiac catheterisation laboratory that is being jointly funded by the New Opportunities Fund and the Department of Health.
	Source:
	Department of Health and North Cheshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

Whooping Cough Vaccine

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the NHS is able to provide mercury-free whooping cough vaccine for babies in the UK.

Melanie Johnson: The United Kingdom uses a wholecell containing whooping cough vaccine (which contains thiomersal) because this vaccine offers the best protection against the disease. Whooping cough is a serious disease in young babies that can lead to death. The acellular whooping cough vaccine (which is thiomersal-free) does not provide the same high level of protection. The UK will move to thiomersal-free vaccines as soon as an equally effective alternative to the current vaccine becomes available.